The stage is set for another thrilling spectacle as the 2026 World Table Tennis (WTT) Contender Lagos begins on Tuesday, May 19, at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium.
Some of the stars who dazzled at the recently concluded World Team Table Tennis Championships in London will converge in Lagos, Nigeria’s bustling commercial hub, to battle for honours in the $100,000 prize money tournament.
This event is one of 10 WTT Contenders worldwide and the second to be staged in Africa after Tunis.
Top players from Japan, Korea Republic, France, Portugal, Egypt, Romania, India, and Belgium are among the competitors expected to light up the six-day tournament.
At a press conference on Monday, May 18, Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), Adesoji Tayo, described this year’s edition as “unique,” noting that 30 of the world’s top 100 ranked players will feature.
“WTT Contender Lagos has become a fixture on the calendar of many top players, and each year it grows in leaps and bounds with quality attendance. We are grateful to the Lagos State Government and our sponsors—Baba Ijebu Bet, Prime Atlantic, and CFOmoto—for their consistent support. With the calibre of players signed up, fans should expect explosive matches this year,” Tayo said.
Tournament Director, Kweku Tandoh, highlighted the event’s evolution from It’s humble beginnings in 2013 as the Lagos State Table Tennis Classics, to the Nigeria Open in 2016, the ITTF Challenge Open in 2019, and finally the WTT Contender Lagos in 2023.
“This tournament has firmly established Lagos as a global table tennis destination. It has become a model for corporate sponsorship, thanks to the unwavering support of the Lagos State Government and our partners. We aim to keep improving and attracting more world-class players to the aquatic city of Lagos,” Tandoh noted.
In his remarks, Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), Lekan Fatodu—represented by Oluyomi Oluwasanmi—praised the LOC’s efforts and reaffirmed Lagos as Africa’s sporting hub. He encouraged visiting players to enjoy the city’s hospitality and vibrant atmosphere.
The tournament will open with two days of qualifiers, as unseeded players vie for spots in the main draw starting Thursday, May 21.
Defending champions Ander Lind of Denmark and Honoka Hashimoto of Japan will be aiming to retain their singles titles in what promises to be a fiercely contested edition.
