Staff Reporter
Doha: The Qatari men’s table tennis team is set to begin its campaign at the World Team Championships, which get underway Tuesday in London and run through May 10, featuring 64 men’s and 64 women’s teams split into 16 groups.
The national squad—comprising Mohammed Abdulwahab, Fahad Al-Mughni, Abdullah Abdulwahab, Sultan Al-Kuwari, and Rawad Al-Nasser, under the guidance of coach Vitaly—has already arrived in London after departing Doha earlier today.
Drawn in Group H, Qatar will face a challenging lineup against Croatia, Serbia, and Luxembourg. The team opens its campaign against Serbia on Tuesday, followed by Luxembourg on Wednesday, before concluding the group stage against Croatia on Thursday.
Qatar secured qualification for the 2026 World Team Championships after a strong showing at the Asian Championships held last year in Bhubaneswar, India.
President of the Qatar Table Tennis Association (QTTA), Hamad Ahmed Al-Hammadi, affirmed that the team is well-prepared following an internal training camp and participation in domestic competitions. He acknowledged the difficulty of Group H, noting the presence of higher-ranked opponents, but expressed confidence in the players’ ability to deliver a commendable performance.
Al-Hammadi also highlighted the tournament’s importance as a key preparatory stage ahead of the 4th Gulf Games, set to be hosted in Doha next month.
On the sidelines of the championship, the International Table Tennis Federation will mark its centenary with a celebration on Saturday, while its General Assembly meeting is scheduled for Sunday in London, with Al-Hammadi expected to attend.
