Nigeria and Egypt have secured qualification for the 2026 ITTF World Youth Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, after dominating the team events at the Africa Youth Championships in Accra, Ghana.
The continental tournament produced Africa’s four representatives for the global championship, with Egypt claiming three of the available slots.
The North Africans earned qualification through their U-15 boys’ and girls’ teams as well as their U-19 girls’ side.
Nigeria completed the continent’s line-up after its U-19 boys’ team emerged victorious, sealing a place at the World Youth Championships, which will take place from November 21 to 28 in Turkey.
ITTF Africa Deputy President, Alfred Bagueka, praised the quality of competition at this year’s championship, noting that the increased number of participating teams had raised the overall standard of the event.
“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 also challenged Africa’s emerging talents to build on their progress and establish themselves among the world’s elite when they compete in Istanbul.
“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.
