By Habeebulah Tijani

International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) President Petra Sörling has praised the quality of competition at the African Championships, describing the tournament as an important pathway to the World Championships and a vital platform for young players to gain experience at the highest level.

Sörling said the emergence of a new generation of players across the continent underlines Africa’s growing depth of talent. The 2026 edition is listed for Tangier, Morocco.

“For us, the Continental Championships are very important,” Sörling said. “We can see that all the players like to compete. We can also see that it is the pathway to the World Championships.”

She noted that many teams are now fielding younger players. “Very many teams are now bringing in a new generation, and especially here in Africa, I can see that there are a lot of talented players. It is a very high level.”

As an example of the tournament’s standard, Sörling pointed to the men’s team final, in which a young player held numerous match points against Egypt’s Omar Assar. Assar is the only male player in Africa to have won seven Africa Cup titles.

“We could, for example, discuss the men’s team final,” she said. “Seeing a young player having so many match points against a superstar like Omar Assar, and at the same time winning such a match. We know that table tennis is a mental game, but it is really nice to see that we have these good matches at the highest level.”

Sörling described the championships as a gateway for emerging players to take their first steps in senior international competition. “I think the African Championships is a good gateway for new players, young players, to gain their first experience,” she said.

She also recounted meeting a young Moroccan girl at the event. “I met a very young girl here from Morocco, and she was very, very excited to play in the seniors for the first time,” Sörling said.

The remarks come as African table tennis gains global visibility. Sörling has previously noted the rising global profile of African table tennis, saying the Africa Cup reflects the continent’s growing influence in the international game. The continental championships also serve as qualifiers for the World Team Championships.