Table tennis sets new entry record at African Youth Games

The popularity of table tennis among young people across Africa continues to rise, as this year’s African Youth Games in Angola records a historic turnout.

The 2025 edition will take place from December 10 to 20 in Luanda and other Angolan cities, featuring around 33 sports across six host cities.

More than 30 countries have confirmed participation in the continental youth sports fiesta, marking the largest entry in the event’s history.

From the 14 nations that featured in the maiden edition in Morocco in 2010, to 24 in Botswana in 2014, and 25 in Algeria in 2018, the 2025 edition in Angola has surpassed expectations with several countries making their debut.

President of ITTF Africa, Wahid Oshodi, hailed the development as a milestone for the sport.

“The turnout of teams for the 2025 AYG in Angola reflects the growth of table tennis among young people in Africa. This number even surpasses the list of competing nations at the last African Games in Ghana. With more support and encouragement for Member Associations, we can expect even greater participation at the next African Games in Egypt,” he said.

Among the nations listed for the 2025 AYG are: Algeria, Burundi, Benin Republic, Botswana, Chad, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and host nation Angola.

The African Youth Games is a major multi-sport competition for athletes aged 14–17.

This year’s edition is historic, as Angola becomes the first Portuguese-speaking country to host the AYG. The event coincides with the nation’s 50th independence anniversary, making it a landmark celebration for Angola and the continent.