Table Tennis England is proud to announce that Sheffield has been selected to host the 2025 ITTF World Hopes Week & Challenge – one of the most prestigious youth development events in global table tennis.
Taking place from 13–19 October 2025 at the English Institute of Sport (EIS) Sheffield, the event will bring together up to 20 boys and 20 girls, born in 2013 or later, from five continents, as well as around 40 coaches, for a week of intensive training and international collaboration, culminating in the Challenge competition on the final two days.

Watch the explainer video to learn more about the event:

The ITTF Hopes Programme has, for over 15 years, played a central role in identifying and nurturing the next generation of table tennis champions. Now returning to a full-year structure in 2025, the programme creates a clear and inspiring pathway for players under 12 – from local discovery to global recognition.

The World Hopes Week & Challenge is the pinnacle of this journey, following National and Continental Hopes events. Players who reach Sheffield have already demonstrated exceptional promise and earned their place through rigorous international qualification.

“With the Hopes Programme returning to its yearly structure, we’ve reinforced our commitment to providing direct, hands-on support to young players and their member associations across all continents.”
— Petra Sörling, ITTF President

As host nation, England will receive two wildcard places – one boy and one girl – giving home-grown talent a direct opportunity to join the world’s elite in Sheffield.

To determine these wildcards, Table Tennis England will run the England Hopes Training Day & Challenge at EIS Sheffield on 20–21 September 2025. Winners of the challenge event will secure England’s wildcard spots.

Automatic invites will be extended to players who reached the Under-12 singles quarter-finals at the Mark Bates Ltd U10–13 National Championships 2025. An additional four wildcards per gender will be selected by the Performance Team.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to bring the best U12 players from across the world to our performance base in Sheffield. We’ll also use the week to learn from international best practice and enhance our own early-stage development.”
— Emma Vickers, Head of Pathway Development, Table Tennis England

The Hopes Programme has helped launch the careers of some of the sport’s brightest stars:
Truls Moregard (Sweden), Paris 2024 Olympic silver medallist
Adriana Diaz (Puerto Rico), world No.17
Hana Goda (Egypt), youngest-ever Africa Cup champion
Bruna Takahashi (Brazil), ITTF World Cup Macao quarterfinalist

“Hopes didn’t just shape me as a player; it became part of my identity.”
— Hana Goda, Egypt

This legacy of success underscores the importance of the programme in bridging grassroots and elite performance worldwide.

Hosting the ITTF World Hopes Week in 2025 carries additional meaning as it leads directly into the ITTF centenary celebrations. London will host the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals in 2026, marking 100 years since the first World Championships were held in the same city in 1926.
Sheffield 2025 will not only spotlight the stars of the future — it will also serve as a symbolic step in connecting the sport’s rich history with its next century.

For aspiring young English players, this is your moment.
Get ready for the England Hopes Challenge this September — and be part of a truly global journey.