Table Tennis
Nigeria, Egypt Get Tricky Draws For 2024 World Team Table Tennis Championship –
Africa’s table tennis powershouses – Nigeria and Egypt have been handed tricky groups in the men and women events of the 2024 ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships (WTTC) taking place in Busan, South Korea.
The draw for the eagerly awaited WTTC Finals Busan 2024 was unfolded on Tuesday January 16, at the Busan e-Sports Arena, signifying a milestone as Korea Republic hosts this event for the first time.
Anticipation surges as the stage is now set. In a month exactly, from 16 to 25 February, the pinnacle of table tennis talent from across the globe will vie for the prestigious title.
All eyes were already on Busan as the battle lines were drawn. Fans turned out in force for the occasion and over 3.5m viewers tuned in to the broadcast to see just where their favourite teams would land.
The stellar audience hints at the atmosphere that waits around the corner when the matches get underway next month.
Nigeria’s men’s team has been drawn in Group 5 alongside Asian giants – Japan and Chinese Taipei as well as Czech Republic and Madagascar.
The women’s team has Germany, Slovakia, Poland and Mexico to contend with in Group 3 as the top eights from the tournament get automatic tickets to Paris 2024 Olympic Games in France.
African champion Egypt will battle in Group 8 of the men’s event against Portugal, Romania, Iran and Thailand while their ladies’ team will slug it out against European teams – France, Czech Republic, Ukraine and Croatia in Group 8 as well.
Algeria has been drawn in Group 4 in the men and women events as the men contend with France, Australia, Denmark and Austria while their women’s contingent will battle Chinese Taipei, USA, Thailand and Chile.
Following the withdrawal of Tunisia’s men and women teams as well as Mauritius’ women team, South Africa was listed among the contenders and they have been pitched against Japan, Brazil, Luxembourg, and Iran in Group 2 of the women’s event.
The defending champions, China, occupy the top-seeded positions in both the men’s and women’s team events as the Women’s Teams of China is placed in Group 1 with Hungary, India, Spain and Uzbekistan.
While Hungary has a long history of winning medals in the championships, they will be hard-pressed to get past the defending champions.
Led by World No.1 Sun Yingsha, Team China is chasing their 23rd title in the event and are frontrunners to top the podium once again.
Both the Men’s and Women’s Teams events will see eight groups of five teams looking to advance to the knockout rounds.
Each match is decided by best of five singles matches, with individual matches being best of five games. Each group will play a round-robin, meaning each team faces off against the other four teams in their group.
After the round-robin is completed, the top three teams from each group advance to the knockout phase. Twenty four teams advance in total, getting a final shot at the title. Group winners will receive seeded positions, with the rest drawn into the knockout rounds in a way that ensures teams from the same group would not meet again in the first round.
As the countdown to Busan 2024 enters its final month, fans worldwide can eagerly anticipate the world’s top teams vying for the coveted Swaythling and Corbillon Cups.
Across ten days of intense table tennis action, the event will not only showcase unparalleled skill but also mark a historic chapter in the Korea Republic’s legacy.
The ancient town of Otan Ayegbaju will once again take centre stage in Nigerian table tennis when it hosts the 6th Michael and Felicia Alabi Memorial Table Tennis Tournament from April 12 to 17, 2026.
The six-day championship, scheduled to take place at the iconic Idera Multipurpose Hall, has grown into one of the most prestigious events on the country’s table tennis calendar.
Established in honour of the late Michael and Felicia Alabi, the annual tournament has evolved beyond its memorial origins to become a major platform for discovering and developing emerging talent while giving established players the opportunity to reaffirm their dominance.
Over the years, the competition has served as an important bridge between grassroots participation and elite performance, attracting players from across the country and helping to strengthen Nigeria’s table tennis pipeline.
The 2026 edition is expected to be the biggest yet, with more than 250 players from all 36 states of the federation set to converge on the Osun State town.
Participants will compete across several categories ranging from U-15 singles to veteran, para and deaf divisions, reflecting the tournament’s commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity in sports.
Young prospects, experienced professionals, veterans, para-athletes and deaf athletes will compete side by side, creating a diverse and competitive environment that organisers say embodies the values of unity, resilience and excellence.
Beyond the competition itself, the tournament is also expected to attract coaches, scouts, administrators and table tennis enthusiasts from across Nigeria, reinforcing its growing reputation as a talent-development platform.
The influx of athletes and visitors is also anticipated to boost economic activity in the host community, with hotels, transport services and local businesses preparing to welcome guests during the week-long event.
Organisers believe the presence of top-level competition in the town will inspire young people in the community, giving them the opportunity to witness elite table tennis firsthand and potentially sparking interest in the sport among the next generation.
The event is supported by the Osun State Government, the Nigerian Table Tennis Federation and the Osun State Table Tennis Association.
As anticipation builds, fans and stakeholders are preparing for six days of intense competition, tactical brilliance and memorable moments when the 2026 Michael and Felicia Alabi Memorial Table Tennis Tournament returns to Otan Ayegbaju next month.
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Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has tasked the newly inaugurated board of the Lagos State Sports Trust Fund (LSSTF) to channel resources toward the growth of grassroots and school sports, as well as broader sporting activities across the state.
The governor gave the charge on Wednesday, February 18, during the board’s inauguration at Lagos House, Marina.
The LSSTF board is chaired by former Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development and current President of the International Table Tennis Federation Africa, Enitan Oshodi, while Olaposi Agunbiade will serve as Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer.
Other board members include Olabode Agoro, Adeniyi Adekoya, Gbolahan Onibuje, Jubril Gawat, Kikelomo Bolarinwa, Olayemi Sarumi, Lekan Fatodu, Moshood Ajide and Engr. Ibrahim Adigun, Chairman of the Chairmen of Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas.
Focus on Institutions and Funding
Addressing the board, Sanwo-Olu urged members to leverage their professional expertise and networks to build a strong and enduring sports institution for Lagos.
“The mandate is straightforward — to support funding in sports and establish strong institutions for today and future generations,” the governor said. “I implore you to deploy resources into grassroots and school sports, and to enhance facilities across our divisions. This quasi-body can also reach out to the private sector, drawing on government experience to attract wider support.”
He stressed the importance of institutional strength and sustainable funding models in positioning Lagos as a leading sports hub.
Private Sector Partnership Key
In his remarks, Oshodi underscored the need to create sustainable funding pathways to support sports infrastructure and athlete development across the state.
“The Lagos State Government is spending a lot on sports, but in a megacity of over 20 million people, it is never enough,” he said. “We need facilities to support athletes, and the private sector’s involvement is crucial. With the capacity of this board, we are confident of securing that support.”
Oshodi added that while the board is focused on achieving immediate successes, its broader objective is to lay the foundation for long-term and sustainable sports development in Lagos.
The LSSTF was established to mobilise additional funding and partnerships to complement government investment in sports, with particular emphasis on youth development, infrastructure improvement and talent identification across the state’s divisions.
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Omar Assar reaffirmed his dominance of African table tennis on Monday as he clinched a record seventh men’s singles title at the ITTF Africa Cup in Benghazi, Libya, while teenage star Hana Goda continued her remarkable rise by securing her fourth women’s singles crown.
Assar was imperious throughout the tournament, completing a flawless run without dropping a single set across six matches.
The Egyptian swept most of his opponents 3–0 or 4–0 and sealed the title with a commanding 4–0 victory (12–10, 11–8, 11–7, 11–7) over Algeria’s Mehdi Bouloussa in the final, successfully defending the crown he reclaimed in 2025. His triumph further cemented his status as the only male player to win the Africa Cup seven times.
Despite the defeat, Bouloussa enjoyed a historic campaign, becoming the first Algerian to reach the Africa Cup final. The 22-year-old produced one of the tournament’s standout performances in the semifinals, edging Nigeria’s five-time champion Quadri Aruna 4–3. Bouloussa is set to make his debut at the ITTF World Cup in Macao next month.
In the women’s singles, Goda—still the youngest-ever Africa Cup champion at just 14—was equally dominant. The Egyptian teenager brushed aside her compatriot and nine-time title holder Dina Meshref 4–0 (12–10, 11–3, 11–7, 11–9) in the final to retain her title and extend her unbeaten run on the continent.
Algeria’s teenage prodigy Tania Morice also emerged as one of the revelations of the competition. Building on her cadet title at the Africa Youth Championships in Lagos last year, Morice finished among the top four in Benghazi to secure her first ITTF World Cup ticket. She defeated experienced opponents, including Nigeria’s Fatimo Bello, Madagascar’s Hanitra Raharimanana and Tunisia’s Abir Haj Salah en route to the semifinals.
Overwhelmed by her breakthrough, Morice described the achievement as “incredible,” adding that the support of her coaches, teammates and parents had been crucial to her rapid rise.
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