The inaugural ITTF Africa Youth Cup debuts in Lagos, honoring former Governor Babatunde Fashola with the BRF Cup as 76 young table tennis stars from 14 countries compete for ranking points and glory.
A new era for African table tennis has begun as the inaugural ITTF Africa Youth Cup officially serves off on Monday, August 4, at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, Nigeria.
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The foundation of this milestone dates back to 2013 when then-Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, approved the hosting of the Lagos International Sports Classics, making table tennis one of its flagship events.
This visionary move transformed Lagos into a global destination for the sport, paving the way for major tournaments such as the ITTF Challenge Series and the now-established WTT Contender Lagos, currently in its third edition.
The newly introduced ITTF Africa Youth Cup is designed to nurture the next generation of African table tennis stars. Fully endorsed by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), the competition will contribute to players’ official world rankings while offering a platform for young talents to showcase their skills on the international stage.
In recognition of Fashola’s significant contribution to sports development in Africa, the tournament’s trophy has been named the BRF Cup, honoring his lasting legacy and dedication to youth and sports advancement.
The two-day tournament concludes the 2025 Festival of Table Tennis and will feature the continent’s brightest U-15 and U-19 players competing for ITTF ranking points and attractive prize money.
Over the past three weeks, Lagos has successfully hosted three major international events — the ITTF Africa West Regional Championships, WTT Contender Lagos, and the ITTF Africa Youth Championships. The Youth Cup now wraps up this thrilling series, marking a major milestone in the growth of table tennis across Africa.
A total of 76 players (45 boys and 31 girls) from 14 countries will battle in this landmark event, bringing an exciting close to three weeks of world-class table tennis action in Nigeria’s commercial capital.
