Tayo Ogunseye
Egypt and Nigeria have qualified to represent Africa at the 2026 ITTF World Youth Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, after dominating the team events at the Africa Youth Championships in Accra, Ghana.
Egypt emerged as the continent’s strongest force, clinching qualification in three categories. The North African nation secured tickets through its Under-15 boys’ and girls’ teams, as well as its Under-19 girls’ team, for the World Youth Championships scheduled to take place from November 21 to 28 in Turkey.
Nigeria completed Africa’s quartet of representatives after its Under-19 boys’ team captured the continental title to book a place at the prestigious global event.
ITTF Africa Deputy President Alfred Bagueka praised the quality of competition at this year’s championships, noting that the increased number of participating teams had significantly raised the standard of play.
“I am particularly impressed with the outcome of this year’s tournament. More teams and players took part, making the competition tougher and more exciting. I can see significant improvement across all teams, especially from lesser-known sides whose players added to the competitiveness,” Bagueka said.
Despite the progress, the ITTF Africa official challenged the continent to produce more players capable of competing among the world’s elite.
“In the last five years, we have had Omar Assar and Quadri Aruna among the best in the world. But lately, how many African players are in the top 20 globally? We must redouble our efforts to ensure our players reach that level. I am hopeful that these young talents can break through at the world stage,” he added.
The qualification of Egypt and Nigeria highlights the steady growth of youth table tennis in Africa and reinforces the continent’s ambition to nurture the next generation of world-class players capable of making a lasting impact on the international stage.
