Nigeria’s men’s and women’s table tennis teams will begin their campaigns at the 2026 ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships on Tuesday with opening matches against Saudi Arabia and Wales, respectively.
The tournament, which marks 100 years since the competition was first held in 1926, presents a significant milestone in the sport’s history.
In the men’s event, Nigeria has been drawn in Group 15 alongside Hong Kong, China, South Africa, and Saudi Arabia, while the women’s team will compete in Group 11 against Australia, Uzbekistan, and Wales.
The men’s team will be first in action, facing Saudi Arabia at 10:00 a.m., before the women’s team takes on Wales later in the day.
Nigeria’s nine-player delegation is led by experienced star Quadri Aruna, alongside Olajide Omotayo, Matthew Kuti, Taiwo Matti, and Muizz Adegoke. The women’s squad includes Fatimo Bello, Ajoke Ojomu, Sukurat Aiyelabegan, and Hope Udoaka.
Both teams head into the tournament as second-ranked sides in their respective groups, behind Hong Kong, China, in the men’s category and Australia in the women’s event.
The competition will be played in two stages, beginning with group matches where teams compete in best-of-five ties. Nigeria is among the teams in Stage 1b, where group winners will advance directly to the Round of 32, while runners-up will also progress depending on their overall rankings.
The championships feature teams from across the globe, with several African nations also in action on the opening day as they seek to make an impact on the international stage.
