About 120 players from around the world will converge in Lagos, the commercial hub of Nigeria for the 2026 World Table Tennis (WTT) Contender.
The tournament, one of 10 WTT Contenders worldwide and the second to be staged in Africa after Tunis, begins on Tuesday, at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere.
Some of the stars who dazzled at the recently concluded World Team Table Tennis Championships in London will be battling for the $100,000 prize money tournament and 400 ITTF World Ranking points.
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 the Chairman of the Local Organising 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,” Tayo said.
“And each year it grows in leaps and bounds with quality attendance. With the calibre of players signed up, fans should expect explosive matches this year.”
Tournament Director, Kweku Tandoh, highlighted the event’s evolution from its humble beginnings in 2013 as the Lagos State Table Tennis Classics, to the Nigeria Open in 2016.
Then to 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,” Tandoh said. “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.”
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 21st.
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.
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