Businesses invited to support centenary table tennis initiative

October 28, 2025 | Paul Stimpson

Table Tennis England and World Table Tennis (WTT) are inviting the business community to support a once in a generation opportunity to get more people around the table in 2026.Â

Table Tennis England will be curating a limited number of special edition ‘centenary tables†to commemorate 100 years of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships, which will return to London in 2026.

Businesses are encouraged to invest in the initiative which will place these tables into high footfall locations throughout London and nationwide in the build-up to and during the Championships, hosted at the Copper Box and Wembley Area in April and May 2026.

Following the event, the tables will be donated to community programmes across the country to support TTEâ€s social impact programme, like the Ping Hub in Ilford recently visited by the ITTF President Petra Sörling. Programmes like this seek to get more young people and adults from disadvantaged backgrounds to get around the table.

ITTF President Petra Sörling (centre) at the Ping Hub in Ilford (Photo by Harry Murphy/Getty Images for Table Tennis England)

Commenting at the launch of the centenary table initiative at the WTT Star Contender Copper Box, ITTF President Petra Sörling said: “It is remarkable to return to England and London in 2026, the city which hosted the first World Championships100 years ago, alongside the foundation of the ITTF itself.

“This programme will secure investment from the private sector to ensure that the sport continues to thrive in 2026 and beyond.”

Sally Lockyer, Table Tennis England Chief Executive, said: “Businesses across the country are encouraged to support our programme to get more people engaged in this great sport.Â

“Table tennis is an accessible sport open to all. With more tables for people to play for free and investment into our social impact programme we will be able to share the benefits of this sport more widely.

“2026 is THE year for table tennis, including the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships, centenary celebrations and a number of cultural and media activities which will promote the sport to the widest possible audience both in the UK and around the world.â€

The ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals is the most prestigious and historic global table tennis event. The iconic team competition returns to London where it all began 100 years ago. The top players representing 64 nations from around the world will compete for the menâ€s and womenâ€s trophies and the ITTF family will come together to celebrate the centenary in the capital.Â

The Championships will be broadcast live to more than 300 million people worldwide, with the broader reach on social media and digital platforms likely to be well in excess of that figure.

Ticketing detail will be published in the coming weeks, with up to 100,000 spectators set to watch the Championships in-venue.

Businesses interested in supporting the ‘centenary table†programme and discuss other partnership opportunities, please contact Ben Cummings, Partnership Director, Table Tennis International Events.Â

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