Ghana is set to welcome some of Africa’s brightest young table tennis talents as it hosts the ITTF-Africa Hopes Week from July 13 to 18, 2026 at The Dome, University of Ghana, Legon, as part of a historic month of continental table tennis in Accra.
The six-day development programme will bring together 40 Under-12 players from 15 Member Associations, comprising 23 boys and 17 girls, alongside 21 coaches for an intensive week of high performance training, talent identification and technical development under the guidance of expert coaches.
The event forms part of a series of continental table tennis events to be hosted in Accra, with the others being ITTF-Africa Youth Championships (20 to 27 July) and the ITTF-Africa Youth Cup (28 to 29 July). The month-long programme will bring together Africa’s elite and emerging players, coaches and officials, further establishing Ghana as one of the continent’s hub for youth table tennis development and competition.
The ITTF Hopes Programme is one of the International Table Tennis Federation’s flagship youth development initiatives and has served for more than 15 years as a pathway for identifying and nurturing the next generation of world class players.
Beginning at the national level and progressing through continental qualification, the programme offers talented young athletes the opportunity to develop their skills in a high performance environment while gaining invaluable international exposure. Beyond player development, the initiative also invests in coach education through practical training and mentorship, ensuring that promising coaches are equipped to nurture the continent’s future stars.
For many participants, the ITTF-Africa Hopes Week represents the final stepping stone towards the ITTF World Hopes Week and Challenge, the pinnacle of the programme, where the best young players from each continent come together for advanced training and competition.
As part of this year’s programme, three young coaches will be awarded coaching scholarships after the camp. The recipients, whose athletes have previously participated in the ITTF World Hopes Week and Challenge, will work alongside experienced experts, gaining hands on experience aimed at enhancing their technical, tactical and coaching skills.
Ghana enjoyed notable success at the 2024 ITTF-Africa Continental Hopes Championship in Botswana, where Israel Aklie claimed the boys’ title while Joanita Borteye secured a bronze medal in the girls’ event, highlighting the country’s growing strength in youth table tennis.
Over the years, the Hopes Programme has provided an important launchpad for players who have gone on to excel on the global stage, including Olympic silver medallist Truls Möregårdh of Sweden, Hana Goda and Adriana Díaz.
Hosting the ITTF-Africa Hopes Week further reinforces Ghana’s growing reputation as a destination for major continental table tennis events. It also offers the country’s young players and coaches a unique opportunity to learn alongside Africa’s best emerging talents while showcasing Ghana’s capacity to organise world class sporting events.
As anticipation builds, the Ghana Table Tennis Association will officially brief the media during a press conference on Tuesday, 14 July 2026, at The Dome, University of Ghana, Legon, where key information on the championships, competition format, participating athletes and other activities surrounding the event will be unveiled.
With the continent’s future stars set to converge in Accra, the ITTF-Africa Hopes Week promises not only to develop young talent but also to inspire the next generation of African table tennis champions before they take the next step on the road to the ITTF World Hopes Week and Challenge.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh/Joel Acheampong
