Centenary Table Tennis Returns to London Day One Shock Upsets Hong Kong China and Mexico Lead

（By May Zhao)The ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals London 2026 Presented ACN officially opened in London, United Kingdom, marking a historic centenary celebration of the International Table Tennis Federation. Running from 28 April to 10 May, the event returns to the city where the first World Championships were held a century ago, symbolising the sport’s journey from a modest beginning to a truly global game.

This year’s edition features the Swaythling Cup (men’s team) and Corbillon Cup (women’s team). China, the long-standing powerhouse, returns as the dominant force and defending favourite across both events. The competition follows a staged format, with 56 teams split into groups for Stage 1B. The top teams, along with the best-performing runners-up, will advance to the knockout stage.

Day one delivered a full slate of matches with several clear victories, highlighting the gap in strength across many ties. In the women’s competition, teams such as Croatia, Sweden, Italy, Canada and Portugal all opened with comfortable 3–0 or 3–1 wins, underlining the existing competitive hierarchy in the field.

One of the standout performances came from Hong Kong China, who defeated the Netherlands 3–1 to begin their campaign strongly. Doo Hoi Kem played a decisive role, winning both of her matches to stabilise her team and secure an important early advantage in the group standings. At the same time, Mexico also impressed with a commanding 3–0 sweep over Macao China, placing them alongside Hong Kong China at the top of their group.

The biggest upset in the women’s draw came from North Korea, who defeated Poland 3–0 in one of the most talked-about results of the opening day. Their strong showing across multiple matches immediately marked them as a dangerous contender in the competition.

In the men’s event, shocks continued as Spain produced a stunning 3–1 victory over group favourites Slovenia. The match remained tightly contested throughout, before Álvaro Robles sealed the win in a dramatic final game, securing Spain’s breakthrough result of the day.

Overall, the opening day in London delivered a compelling start to the centenary championships, blending dominant performances from established teams with high-profile upsets that have already reshaped expectations. As the group stage continues, teams will intensify their battle for qualification to the knockout rounds, with the competition wide open moving forward.