The long wait is over and England are ready to play their first match at a home World Championships this century!
Not since Manchester 1997 have England athletes had the chance to showcase their skills in front of a home crowd in the sport’s pinnacle event – and not since 1954 in London.
This Saturday, that all changes as Stage 1a of the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals London 2026 Presented by ACN gets under way.
Head to WTT YouTube channel for live streaming of every table throughout the championships.
The Championships is back at OVO Arena Wembley, the same venue which hosted that 1954 event, as well as those in 1935, 1938 and 1948.
And the sport returns with a bang as the seven top-ranked men’s and women’s teams, and England as hosts, play off to decide seeding positions in the Round of 32.
It means spectators can enjoy a dazzling array of top-quality matches involving almost all of the world’s top players. Click here to see who is in each nation’s squad.
England men will take on China, Sweden and Korea Republic in Group 1, while the women face Japan, Germany and France in Group 2.
Click here to read more about England’s record against their opponents.
Check out the video below to hear from England stars and see their final preparations at the venue.
Men’s Group 2 features France, Japan, Germany and Chinese Taipei, while women’s Group 1 comprises China, Korea Republic, Chinese Taipei and Romania.
After two days of play-offs, the eight countries involved in Stage 1a will know their seeding from 1 to 8 and they will then be drawn into the Round of 32 to face one of the nations to qualify from Stage 1b at the Copper Box Arena.
Those matches start on Monday 4 May and it’s straight knockout all the way until the champions are crowned on Sunday 10 May.
Day Five Preview
Stage 1A gets under way at the OVO Arena Wembley on Saturday 2 May as the top-seven ranked nations plus hosts England compete for seeding positions for Stage 2 knockouts and the Round of 32.
The first session starts at 10am where England Women play Japan Women, before England Men play China Men at 12:30. In the second session, starting at 17:00, England Women face Germany, before England Men go up against Sweden Men at 19:30.
The full day’s schedule is available here:
10:00: China Women v Romania Women; Japan Women v England Women; Korea Republic Women v Chinese Taipei Women; Germany Women v France Women.
12:30: China Men v England Men; Japan Men v Germany Men; Sweden Men v Korea Republic Men; France Men v Chinese Taipei Men.
17:00: Germany Women v England Women; Japan Women v France Women; Korea Republic Women v Romania Women; China Women vs Chinese Taipei Women.
19:30: England Men v Sweden Men; Japan Men v Chinese Taipei Men; France Men v Germany Men; China Men v Korea Republic Men
Day Five from Table 1 will be broadcast live in the UK on the talkSPORT YouTube channel.
