Egyptian table tennis great Ahmed Saleh believes the era of Egypt and Nigeria controlling African table tennis is coming to an end as emerging nations close the gap.
Key takeaways
- The 2026 ITTF Africa Youth Championships took place in Accra, Ghana.
- Saleh is the head coach of Egypt’s national junior side.
- Uganda, South Africa, Tunisia, Algeria and Togo are producing increasingly formidable players.
- Five nations — Egypt, Nigeria, Tunisia, Algeria and Uganda — won gold medals in Accra.
- Saleh expects no team to enjoy guaranteed control of major events within the next two years.
A changing African landscape
Saleh made his prediction after watching a series of closely fought matches at the continental youth championships in Accra. The former African champion said the performances of rising players from Uganda, South Africa, Tunisia, Algeria and Togo showed that the competitive balance is being reshaped.
He argued that the traditional order is under serious threat, with several countries now capable of troubling the continent’s established powers. Players from Uganda, South Africa, Algeria and Tunisia, he said, have become difficult opponents, while Togo also possesses enough quality to cause surprises.
Uganda was singled out as a particularly strong candidate to make a major breakthrough. Saleh pointed to the team’s distinctive approach, especially its highly effective defensive play, which he said makes Ugandan players difficult to unsettle during rallies.
Gold medals spread across five nations
The results in Ghana further illustrated the improvement across Africa. Egypt and Nigeria no longer claimed all the premier honours, with gold medals distributed among Egypt, Nigeria, Tunisia, Algeria and Uganda.
Saleh said the continent’s progress means that dominance can no longer be taken for granted. In his view, every country is investing greater effort, and within the next two years no side should feel certain of ruling any event.
He added that the broader competition is an encouraging sign for the sport’s future. The emergence of champions from a wider range of countries could give Africa more athletes capable of challenging the world’s leading players and strengthen the continent’s presence at the highest international level.
