Nigeria and Egypt have secured qualification for the 2026 ITTF World Youth Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, after strong performances at the Africa Youth Championships in Accra.
Egypt claimed qualification slots in the U-15 boys and girls categories, as well as the U-19 girls event, while Nigeria’s U-19 boys team earned the continent’s remaining spot at the global competition scheduled for November 21–28.
ITTF Africa Deputy President Alfred Bagueka praised the quality and competitiveness of the tournament, saying the growing participation of teams has raised the standard of youth table tennis on the continent.
“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,” he said.
Bagueka, however, urged African players to aim higher at the international level, noting the need for more athletes to break into the world’s elite rankings.
“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.
