The number of women and girls joining Table Tennis England is soaring on the back of recent initiatives to make the sport more inclusive.

Female membership has risen from 1,609 in 2020 to 6,649 at the end of the 2025/26 season – a staggering increase of 313%.

Women and girls now make up 18.8% of Table Tennis England’s membership, a figure which has been on a steady upward trend from 9.5% just four years ago.

Among under-11s, that figure is 20.8% – 294 out of 1,414 members in that age bracket are girls.

Our membership data also shows the following:

• The number of women and girls competing in national competitions such as British Clubs Leagues has increased by 146% over the same period
• 2,129 women and girls joined this season as supporter members, gaining priority access to World Championships tickets
• 92% of female Compete Plus members are staying in the sport year-on-year

These figures reflect focused work to create more opportunities for women and girls to enjoy the sport, whether through playing recreationally, competing, coaching, volunteering or officiating, and removing barriers to participation and ensuring females feel welcomed, valued and visible within our sport.

Closing the gender gap in the sport has been a clear organisational ambition, supported through the #LevelTheTable strategy and wider equality, diversity and inclusion activity.

A number of initiatives have helped drive this progress, including the introduction of the Girls’ Cadet British Clubs League, dedicated women and girls’ sessions delivered through clubs and Community Table Tennis Partnerships, and targeted work with groups such as under-11s and players with Parkinson’s, where the gender split in sessions is often around 50-50.

Alongside this work around participation and competitions, the SHEcoaches initiative has sought to create more female coaches and give them a pathway into the talent and performance space.

Chris Brown, Director of Table Tennis Development at Table Tennis England, said: “These figures show the positive impact that comes from creating opportunities specifically designed to engage women and girls. We have worked hard with clubs, leagues, schools, volunteers and partners across the country to make table tennis a more welcoming and inclusive sport, and it’s encouraging to see female membership growth since 2020.

“While we’re proud of the progress, we know there is still more to do. Women and girls currently account for less than one fifth of our membership, so our focus remains on creating even more opportunities to play, compete, volunteer and thrive in table tennis.

“The growth we’ve seen gives us real confidence that we’re moving in the right direction and that many more women and girls can discover everything our sport has to offer.”

Priorities over the coming years include:

• Expand dedicated women and girls’ playing opportunities in clubs, leagues, schools and community settings
• Strengthen the transition from beginner programmes into long-term club participation and competition
• Build on the excellent retention rate of female Compete Plus members by creating more attractive playing and competitive opportunities
• Develop stronger pathways for girls from school and community participation into talent development and national competition
• Increase the diversity of female participants, volunteers, coaches and officials to ensure the sport better reflects local communities

Case study: SHEcoaches

Evie Collier, Coach Learning & Development Manager describes the impact of SHEcoaches, which aims to create the next generation of female coaches at the talent and national team level.

“We’re committed to creating a coaching workforce that reflects the diversity of the people we want to inspire. Initiatives such as SHEcoaches are helping to break down barriers, build confidence and create a supportive network where women can develop and thrive as coaches.

“SHEcoaches has become a key part of that commitment, creating a genuine community of practice for female coaches through mentoring, high-quality learning experiences and clear progression opportunities into talent and performance coaching.

“Through workshops, England and Great Britain training camps, international event experiences and continued professional development, we’ve seen coaches develop the confidence, knowledge and skills needed to support players at every stage of the pathway. 

“The feedback has been incredibly positive, with coaches telling us they value the supportive network they’ve built, the opportunity to learn from experienced practitioners and the chance to apply that learning in real performance environments.

“Players also benefit from seeing more female role models in coaching, helping to create a more inclusive and welcoming sport.

“By continuing to invest in initiatives like SHEcoaches, we’re strengthening the future of English table tennis and ensuring more people have the opportunity to reach their potential, both on and off the table.”