World Table Tennis for Health Festival to Make Asian Debut in Shanghai

The World Table Tennis for Health Festival will be held at the Henry Fok Sports Center of Shanghai Jiao Tong University from October 20 to 25, featuring two core events: the 2026 World Alzheimer's Table Tennis Championships and the 2026 World Parkinson's Table Tennis Championships.

A total of 226 athletes from 24 countries and regions will compete in singles, doubles and mixed doubles, showcasing the courageous spirit of athletes with Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). It's also the first time the World Table Tennis for Health Festival has come to Asia.

"We chose China, and China chose Shanghai," said Ramón Ortega Montes, health impact manager at the ITTF Foundation. "China has made very stable investments in and support for sports and health, and Shanghai has a great table tennis atmosphere."

Former Olympic champion Yan Sen has been named an ambassador for the festival.

"Table tennis is of great help to people with Parkinson's," Yan said. "While the sport is competitive by nature, it allows people of all ages to achieve good physical and mental health through exercise, thanks to its strong grassroots base."

The competitions are free of charge. Outside the venue, the festival will set an interactive zone to get the public involved with games.

The festival will also include a health congress, where experts and scholars from multiple countries and institutions will share cutting-edge research findings and the latest practical experience in the field of table tennis for health in 14 keynote speeches.

After the festival, some of the competition facilities will be donated to relevant organizations to support regular table tennis rehabilitation training for special groups.