London 2026: Nigeria Eyes World Championship Comeback

London 2026: Nigeria Eyes World Championship Comeback 

Sampson Adedeji

Nigerian table tennis player Taiwo Mati has expressed confidence that the experience and leadership of Quadri Aruna will be crucial as the national team prepares for the 2026 World Team Championships in London, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Nigeria, currently ranked second in Africa and 26th globally in the team event, will be aiming for a stronger showing after a disappointing campaign at the 2024 edition in South Korea.

At the last tournament, Aruna, alongside Olajide Omotayo and Bode Abiodun, failed to progress beyond the group stage following losses to Chinese Taipei, the Czech Republic, Japan, and Madagascar.

Heading into this year’s competition, Aruna is once again expected to lead the team as they face Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa at the OVO Arena Wembley.

Speaking to Flashscore ahead of the tournament, Mati highlighted the importance of Aruna’s presence in the squad.

“Quadri Aruna brings a lot to the team in terms of leadership and confidence. Having him in the team is a huge motivation for us,” he said.

“He is a big player with a wealth of experience, having competed in several Olympic Games and World Championships. His presence gives the team more belief.

“Aruna has reached the quarter-finals before, and at the last World Championship I played, I made it to the round of 32, which remains one of my best performances.”

Nigeria secured qualification for the tournament after a dominant outing at the 2025 ITTF Africa Championships in Tunis, Tunisia, and will be hoping to translate that form onto the global stage.