The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and Sport Singapore (SportSG) have signed a memorandum of understanding to kickstart discussions for the world’s first “Home of Table Tennis.” The signing ceremony took place on the final evening of the Singapore Smash 2023 tournament earlier this month. The ITTF plans to establish several new such hubs around the world to bring table tennis to new corners of the globe and inspire the next generation of players.
Singapore has been singled out as a potential location for the first hub for several reasons, including its strategic location as a well-connected hub for organizations with an international footprint, ITTF said. The project also builds on the ongoing collaboration between the ITTF and SportSG, which previously teamed up to organize the WTT Cup Finals in December 2021 and the Singapore Smash in March 2022 and 2023. The ITTF is currently seeking potential host cities for the future Homes of Table Tennis.
Initially launched in 2019, the project was on a temporary hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The ITTF re-activated it in 2022, fully reviewing the concept in light of the learnings of the pandemic. Indeed, the ITTF searched not for one Home but multiple hubs, each with specialized expertise. The governing body will now select the most suitable host cities based on a range of factors, including infrastructure, accessibility and local support for the sport of table tennis. Once selected, the ITTF will engage in targeted dialogue with each city chosen to ensure that the hubs are tailored to the local needs and priorities.
