On the final day of play at the European Teams Championships Stage 1 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 12 teams secured their place at the European Teams Championships Final, which will take place in Zadar, Croatia, from October 12th to 19th. In the Women’s Team Event, the qualifiers are Netherlands, England, Greece, Belgium, Slovenia, and Bulgaria. In the Men’s Team Event, the qualifiers are Greece, Spain, Netherlands, Moldova, Finland, and Türkiye. The top-seeded teams in the Women’s Event — Netherlands, England, Greece, and Belgium — secured their spots in Zadar during the final duel of the Group Stage, leaving the defeated teams to compete in playoff matches for the two remaining positions. The Netherlands defeated Moldova 3-1, with Shuohan MEN remaining unbeaten throughout the tournament. MEN is one of only three players in the Women’s Event to achieve this status in Sarajevo. England overcame Slovenia 3-2, led by Tin-Tin HO, who also finished Stage 1 undefeated. Greece edged Bulgaria 3-2, with Aikaterini TOLIOU maintaining her perfect record. Belgium defeated Switzerland, ending Swiss star Rachel MORET’s flawless run. MORET suffered her second defeat in the final match against Margo DEGRAEF. In the playoff matches, Slovenia beat Switzerland in straight matches, whilst Bulgaria needed full five matches to overcame Moldova. In Phase 2 of the Men’s Event, the top-seeded team, Greece, secured three consecutive wins. In their final group match, they defeated Türkiye to maintain their flawless record. For the No. 2 seeds, Finland, the outcome was the opposite. They were defeated by Moldova, ranked 19th, in what was the biggest upset of the tournament. Vladislav URSU recorded a perfect 12 wins out of 12 matches, leading Moldova to a remarkable achievement. Seeded No. 3, Spain also secured their place in Zadar. They were led by the event’s highest-ranked player, Alvaro ROBLES, who preserved his unbeaten status, although he participated in only two matches. In their final group match, Spain overcame Lithuania. The clash between No. 4 seeded Norway and No. 5 seeded Netherlands concluded in favor of the lower-ranked team. The result wasn’t entirely expected. The defeat of one of the tournament’s highest-ranked players, Borgar HAUG, in the last match was a surprise. HAUG, who had previously secured nine wins, was defeated by Kas VAN OOST and Gabrielius CAMARA. In the playoff matches, Finland beat Lithuania 3-0, while Türkiye succeeded against Norway by same margin. See the pictures here.
ETTU Awards 2027 European Team Championships to Porto and European Veterans Championships to Riga
The ETTU Executive Board has awarded the 2027 European Team Championships to Portugal’s Table Tennis Association, to be held in Porto, and the 2027 European Veterans Championships to Latvia’s Table Tennis Association, to be held in Riga. Vice Presidents Manuela SIMÕES and António ANTUNES presented the Portuguese bid, which proposes the Porto Super Bock Arena as the venue for the 2027 European Team Championships. Lisbon previously hosted the European Team Championships in 2014, when Portugal’s national team claimed victory, securing its only European Men’s Team title to date. “The ETTU President Pedro MOURA excused himself from the Executive Board process for the presentations of the 2027 European Table Tennis Team Championships as the Table Tennis Federation of Portugal were presenting their bid,” stated ETTU Vice President for Finances Sandra DEATON. “I subsequently took the role of chairing the presentation meeting where we received all the relevant nominations for the event. Following an excellent, professional, and detailed proposal, I am delighted to announce it was unanimously agreed to award the event to the Table Tennis Association of Portugal. The championships will be held in the city of Porto, and the Executive Board have every confidence we will experience a wonderful event.” On behalf of the Portugal’s Table Tennis Association President Fernando MALHEIRO stated:. “The Portuguese Table Tennis Federation, and all stakeholders involved, we extend our sincere gratitude for entrusting us with the honour of hosting the 2027 European Team Championships. This recognition fills us with immense joy and an even greater sense of responsibility to deliver an event that reflects the prestige and excellence of European table tennis. Our bid was driven by a deep commitment to promote table tennis as a unifying sport that fosters healthy competition, mutual respect, and shared values among nations. Hosting this championships in Porto represents a unique opportunity to showcase our strengths: world-class infrastructure at the Super Bock Arena, a strategic location with seamless accessibility, and a rich cultural and sporting heritage. We look forward to welcoming the table tennis community to Porto and ensuring the 2027 European Team Championships will be a milestone in the history of the sport.” The 2027 European Veterans Championships will be held at the Kipsala International Exhibition Centre in Riga. “We are delighted to announce the 2027 European Veterans Championships will be organized in the beautiful city of Riga, Latvia. This is a historical moment for both ETTU and the Latvian Table Tennis Association, as this will be the first European title event to be played in the country. The ETTU Executive Board fully trust to have one of the best European Veterans Championships ever in 2027,” said ETTU President Pedro MOURA. Latvia has a proven track record of successfully hosting international sporting events, including the Ice Hockey World Championship, the European Weightlifting Championships, and numerous youth and regional tournaments. “It is a tremendous honor for Latvia to host the European Veterans Championships 2027, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome the best veterans of table tennis to Riga. Latvia’s strength lies in its dedicated and capable team, whose hard work and expertise will ensure a seamless and inspiring event. We are proud to provide a stage where experience and sportsmanship shine, and we look forward to creating a truly memorable event for everyone involved,” stated the Latvian Table Tennis Association President Ina JOZEPSONE.
