Algeria will make a historic showing at the ITTF World Cup in Macao, China, after three of its players qualified from the 2026 ITTF Africa Cup in Benghazi, Libya.

Teenage prodigy Tania Morice, experienced left-hander Stéphane Ouaiche and surprise men’s semifinalist Mehdi Bouloussa all booked places among Africa’s representatives, marking a major milestone for Algerian table tennis.

Morice’s qualification capped a remarkable debut at the continental championship. Competing in the Africa Cup for the first time, the reigning African girls’ cadet champion swept through the group stage before sealing her World Cup ticket with a dominant 4–0 quarterfinal victory over Tunisia’s Abir Haj Salah.

The teenager had earlier announced her arrival with a stunning 3–1 upset of Nigeria’s Fatimo Bello, the fourth seed and 2022 Africa Cup runner-up, on the opening day of competition. She now heads to Macao for the biggest test of her burgeoning career.

Ouaiche’s qualification was equally significant. The France-based star, who last represented Algeria at the 2023 African Games in Ghana, finally ended a three-year wait imposed by ITTF nationality transfer regulations.

With the eligibility period completed, Ouaiche produced an emphatic run in Benghazi, topping his group before recording straight-games victories over Nigeria’s Olajide Omotayo and Cameroon’s Ylane Batix. His qualification made him the only new face among Africa’s men’s representatives for the World Cup.

Bouloussa completed Algeria’s impressive haul with a major upset in the men’s singles semifinal, defeating Egypt’s third seed Youssef Abdelaziz 4–2 in a pulsating encounter. The result ensured Algeria will be represented by three players in Macao, underlining the country’s growing influence on the African table tennis scene.

Elsewhere, Africa’s established stars also secured their World Cup places. Egypt’s Hana Goda and Dina Meshref qualified once again, while Mariam Alhodaby earned her second appearance at the global showpiece after beating Nigeria’s Bello 4–1.

Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna advanced with a commanding 4–0 win over Egyptian teenager Badr Mostafa, while defending Africa Cup champion Omar Assar eased past Tunisia’s Wassim Essid by the same scoreline.

The Africa Cup semifinals promise high drama. In the men’s singles, Assar will face Ouaiche, while Aruna meets Bouloussa for the first time. On the women’s side, Goda takes on compatriot Alhodaby, with Morice set for a daunting showdown against nine-time champion Meshref in what could be a defining moment in the young Algerian’s career.

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The 2026 ITTF Africa Cup burst into life in Benghazi, Libya, with a wave of youthful brilliance on opening day as Africa’s rising stars rattled the continent’s established order.

Teenage sensation Tania Morice of Algeria emerged as the standout performer, announcing her arrival on the continental stage in emphatic fashion. Competing in her first Africa Cup and unseeded, Morice produced a flawless group-stage display against vastly more experienced opponents.

Algeria’s Tana Morice

She stunned Nigeria’s Fatimo Bello, the 2022 runner-up, and Madagascar’s Hanitra Raharimanana, seeded fourth and fifth respectively, recording commanding 3–1 victories in both encounters to top her group and secure a place in the women’s singles knockout round.

“I’m really glad to win,” Morice said after her breakthrough performances. “I had a good feeling because I believed I could win.”

In the men’s singles, Egypt’s reigning African Youth Champion Badr Mostafa also caught the eye with a gritty 3–2 victory over Tunisia’s Wassim Essid. The five-game battle tested the young Egyptian’s composure, but he credited experience and preparation for seeing him through.

“Thank God, I was able to win because Wassim is one of the best players in Africa,” Mostafa said. “The match was difficult, especially at the beginning, but I’ve worked hard, gained more experience, and that’s helped me perform better.”

Despite the early shocks, the tournament’s heavyweights ultimately asserted their authority. Top seeds Omar Assar, Quadri Aruna, Youssef Abdelaziz and Mehdi Bouloussa all advanced comfortably in the men’s singles.

On the women’s side, Egyptian trio Hana Goda, Dina Meshref and Mariam Alhodaby navigated the opening round without major alarms, brushing aside determined challenges from younger rivals.

Attention now turns to Day 2 on Sunday, February 8, as the intensity rises in Benghazi, with podium places and coveted qualification spots for the ITTF World Cup firmly in sight.

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Egyptian stars Omar Assar and Hana Goda will put their impressive Africa Cup records on the line when the 2026 ITTF Africa Cup gets underway in Benghazi, Libya, from February 7 to 9.

The annual continental championship, which also serves as a qualifying event for the 2026 ITTF World Cup, is organised by ITTF Africa in collaboration with the International Table Tennis Federation and hosted by the Libyan Table Tennis Federation at the iconic Al Nasr Sports Club.

Men’s top seed Assar arrives in Benghazi as the most successful player in Africa Cup history, having claimed six men’s singles titles in Yaoundé 2015, Nairobi 2018, Lagos 2019, Lagos 2022, Nairobi 2023 and Tunis 2025. His closest challenger, Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna, has won five titles, including the 2024 edition in Kigali.

Assar has remained unbeaten at the Africa Cup since his semifinal defeat to Aruna in Tunis in 2020, going on to secure back-to-back victories in Lagos, Nairobi and Tunis. In Libya, he is expected to renew his rivalry with Aruna, while also facing a growing challenge from compatriot Youssef Abdelaziz, who continues to establish himself among Africa’s elite.

In the women’s singles, top seed Goda continues to build a remarkable career that began when she captured her first Africa Cup title at just 14 years old in Lagos 2022, becoming the youngest champion in the tournament’s history.

The Egyptian prodigy stumbled at the 2024 edition in Kigali, losing 4–0 in the semifinals to fellow Egyptian Mariam Alhodaby, but responded emphatically in Tunis 2025 by reclaiming the title with a victory over Dina Meshref, the competition’s most decorated player with nine titles.

Now 18, Goda is aiming to follow in Meshref’s footsteps by adding to her growing collection of continental honours. She will again face strong opposition from Meshref and Alhodaby, as well as Nigeria’s Fatimo Bello, a finalist at Lagos 2022. Tunisia’s Ela Saidi, who impressed at the 2025 edition, is also expected to be among the leading contenders.

With Africa’s top table tennis players converging on Benghazi, the 2026 ITTF Africa Cup is set to deliver intense competition and high drama. For Assar and Goda, the tournament represents more than another title defence—it is another opportunity to cement their legacies as the defining faces of African table tennis.

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