World Team Table Tennis Championships 2026: People's Republic of China men's team continues dominant march, advances to semi-finals

The semi-finals of both the men's and women's events at the 2026 World Team Table Tennis Championships in London are all set.

The People's Republic of China are the reigning champions in both the men's and women's sides, having claimed the team titles at the most recent staging of this biennial event, in 2024.

In fact, the Chinese men hold a record of 23 world team titles, including 11 in a row dating back to 2000. The Chinese women have six team titles in a row, dating back to 2012.

Both teams are into the final four after the men's squad booked their place on Friday (8 May) inside Wembley Arena, where Romania and Japan won through on the women's side as well, and France's men's team notched a huge win over Brazil.

World No. 1 and double Olympic champion (team; mixed doubles) Wang Chuqin won what turned out to be a pivotal victory for the People's Republic of China, holding off the Republic of Korea's Oh Jungsung 11-9, 11-1, 8-11, 7-11, 11-7 across five games.

Lin Shidong and Liang Jingkun were both victors thereafter in just three games respectively, giving China a 3-0 triumph.

France was inspired by an opening victory by teenager Flavien Coton, who upset world No. 5 Hugo Calderano 12-10, 11-8, 11-9 in the first encounter of the France-Brazil quarter-final.

Brothers Félix Lebrun and Alexis Lebrun carried the French to victory from there, dropping just one game between them.

France and China will do battle in the last of the four semi-finals on Saturday (9 May).

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