Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared that table tennis has placed Lagos firmly on the global sporting map as the 2026 edition of the prestigious WTT Contender Lagos enters the main draw stage on Thursday, May 21, at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.
After two days of intense qualifying matches that reduced the field to 32 men and 32 women in the singles events, attention has now shifted to the main draw where some of the world’s best table tennis stars are set to battle for honours.
Read Also: Super Eagles To Tango Poland, Portugal Under Floodlights On June 3rd, June 10th Respectively
Defending men’s singles champion Anders Lind headlines the star-studded lineup alongside France’s Thibault Poret, Korea Republic’s Oh Junsung and India’s Manav Thakkar.
Lind, who won the Lagos title in 2025, is chasing history as he aims to become the first player to successfully defend the WTT Contender Lagos crown back-to-back.
The Danish star arrives in Lagos buoyed by an impressive outing at the recent World Team Championships in London and will once again rely on the electric Lagos atmosphere that inspired his triumph last year.
In the women’s singles, Japan’s Honoka Hashimoto leads a highly competitive field that also includes compatriot Satsuki Odo, Korea’s Joo Cheonhui, Romania’s Elizabeth Samara and Egypt’s Dina Meshref.
With singles, doubles and mixed doubles events on the schedule and a prize purse of $100,000 at stake, fans are expected to witness four days of top-class action in one of Africa’s biggest table tennis tournaments.
The governor praised the growth of the tournament, which began in 2013 as the Lagos Table Tennis Classics before evolving into a globally recognised event under the WTT Contender banner.
According to Sanwo-Olu, Lagos has become one of the most attractive destinations for elite table tennis players around the world.
“Table tennis, in particular, has placed our city firmly on the global map. Lagos has become a premier destination for the sport, with top players from around the world eager to return and experience the warmth, hospitality, and unique energy of this great city,” the governor said.
The annual championship, launched on June 12, 2023 as the successor to the ITTF Nigeria Open, has continued to build on the legacy established by the Lagos International Table Tennis Classics and the Nigeria Open since 2013.
Sanwo-Olu, who attended the final of the 2024 edition, described the experience as memorable and exciting while reaffirming Lagos’ status as one of the standout venues on the World Table Tennis calendar.
“As one of the 10 WTT Contender Series tournaments listed for 2026, Lagos is widely regarded as one of the most vibrant and colourful stops on the WTT calendar,” he added.
“The City of Aquatic Splendor is prepared to deliver an unforgettable experience filled with energy, culture and world-class table tennis. This year, 23 nations from Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Oceania, the Americas and Africa have confirmed participation.”
