Egypt reaffirmed its status as the undisputed powerhouse of African table tennis with a commanding performance at the 2025 ITTF Africa Championships in Tunis, clinching gold in both the men’s and women’s team events — and sweeping all three doubles titles in a show of continental supremacy.

Led by continental icons Omar Assar and Hana Goda, the Egyptian teams were unstoppable throughout the eight-day championship, maintaining their dominance in a tournament that drew Africa’s finest talents.

In the women’s team final, Egypt proved too strong for Uganda, cruising to a 3–0 victory to retain their crown. The win marked Egypt’s 18th women’s team title, solidifying their place as the most successful nation in the history of the competition. Their previous triumphs date back to 1962, and include victories in 1964, 1968, 1990, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.

In the men’s event, Egypt reclaimed continental supremacy by defeating Algeria in the final, having earlier edged defending champions Nigeria in a tense semifinal encounter. The triumph brought Egypt’s men’s team title tally to 16, reinforcing their long-standing dominance of African table tennis.

While Egypt celebrated history, Uganda made their own by becoming the first East African nation to reach the women’s team final. The trio of Judith Nangozi, Judith Mirembe, and Jemimah Nakawala stunned Nigeria 3–1 in the semifinals before settling for silver.

In the men’s category, Morocco returned to the continental spotlight by claiming bronze after a 3–1 semifinal loss to Algeria, while Nigeria secured bronze by finishing third following their semifinal defeat to Egypt.

The individual events further highlighted Egypt’s superiority. Omar Assar etched his name deeper into history by winning a record fifth men’s singles title, while Hana Goda, the teenage sensation, became the youngest and first-ever player to win the women’s singles title three consecutive times.

Egypt’s sweep extended to the doubles events, capturing gold in Mixed Doubles, Women’s Doubles, and Men’s Doubles.

In the Mixed Doubles final, defending champions Youssef Abdelaziz and Mariam Alhodaby retained their crown with a straight-sets victory (11–4, 11–7, 11–9) over compatriots Mostafa Badr and Marwa Alhodaby.

The newly formed pair of Dina Meshref and Hana Goda triumphed in the Women’s Doubles, defeating the Alhodaby twins, Mariam and Marwa, 3–1 (11–9, 11–8, 9–11, 11–4) to claim their first title together — building on their impressive run to the final at the WTT Contender Lagos in July.

In the Men’s Doubles, Youssef Abdelaziz added to his medal collection by partnering Mohamed El-Beiali to overcome Algeria’s Bella Maheidine and Jellouli Milhane 3–1 (11–7, 8–11, 11–6, 11–2) in an enthralling final.

With their latest clean sweep, Egypt has once again stamped its authority as Africa’s table tennis superpower — blending experience, youthful flair, and unmatched consistency to reign supreme on the continental stage.

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

African table tennis giants Egypt, Nigeria, Tunisia, and Algeria have secured qualification for the 2026 ITTF World Team Championships in London, United Kingdom, following commanding displays in the group stages of the ongoing 2025 ITTF Africa Championships in Tunis.

The Egyptian team

In the men’s event, Egypt became the first team to book their ticket after routine victories over Togo and Côte d’Ivoire. Nigeria followed suit with dominant 3-0 wins against Cameroon and South Africa in Group B, while Morocco also progressed after beating both sides to set up a group decider with Nigeria. Algeria and hosts Tunisia completed the list of African qualifiers by topping Groups C and D, respectively.

The women’s competition mirrored the men’s results, with Egypt, Nigeria, and Algeria clinching their places in London. They will be joined by Uganda’s youthful team, whose qualification marks a breakthrough achievement for East African table tennis.

Scheduled for April 28 to May 10, 2026, the London event will mark a historic milestone — the centenary of the ITTF and the World Table Tennis Championships, both founded in the British capital in 1926.

A total of 64 teams per gender will compete in London. Of these, 52 will qualify through continental championships, 11 via world rankings (as of November 2025), while England, as host nation, receives automatic qualification.

As the countdown to London 2026 begins, the stage is set for Africa’s finest to join the world’s best in what promises to be a once-in-a-century celebration of global table tennis excellence.

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

The contest for Africa’s eight available team slots at the 2026 ITTF World Team Championships intensifies today, October 17, as the continent’s best converge at the Rades Multidisciplinary Complex for the ongoing 2025 ITTF Africa Championships.

A total of 16 men’s teams and 14 women’s teams began their campaigns in the group stage, with Egypt and Nigeria leading the pack as top seeds. At stake is qualification for the global showpiece scheduled to hold in London, the historic birthplace of table tennis.

Adding to the prestige, the 2026 World Team Championships will coincide with the 100th anniversary of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) — a milestone that has made this year’s African qualifiers even more competitive.

Defending champions Egypt remain the team to beat in both the men’s and women’s categories, boasting a star-studded lineup led by newly crowned continental singles champions Omar Assar and Hana Goda.

Nigeria, however, faces a major test without Africa’s top-ranked male player Quadri Aruna, whose absence has already been felt in the singles events, where no Nigerian reached the quarterfinals. The team salvaged pride with a bronze medal in the Men’s Doubles, but the focus now shifts to securing one of the coveted World Team slots.

Despite the challenges, Taiwo Mati, one of Nigeria’s key players, remains upbeat.

“We really missed our captain, but that notwithstanding, we’re ready to face any team in the competition,” he said. “We all want to go to London in 2026, and we’re hopeful of clinching one of the tickets.”

Host nation Tunisia is banking on the experience of Wassim Essid and the promise of rising star Youssef Aidli to make a strong showing on home soil. Meanwhile, Algeria, led by Mehdi Bouloussa and veteran Sami Kherouf, has expressed confidence in its chances to challenge Egypt’s dominance.

With the competition entering its decisive phase, tension and anticipation are mounting in Tunis — as Africa’s top table tennis nations battle not just for medals, but for a place on the world stage in London 2026.

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H