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The ITTF World Para Championships will be held every two years instead of every four, the ITTF announced on 22 October.

The decision was made by the ITTF Executive Board on 25 August 2026, following feedback from the Para table tennis community. Under the four-year cycle, a player could get very few chances in a career to qualify for and play at a World Championship. The ITTF says this matters most in Para sport, where careers can be shaped by sporting, personal and disability-related factors, so one missed edition could cost an athlete years.

A biennial event gives more regular targets for emerging players and those near their peak, and more chances to become World Champion. The ITTF also expects it to push national associations to invest more in their Para programmes and pathways.

The change follows the new ITTF Constitution adopted on 3 May 2026, which puts athlete welfare, safety and rights at the centre of the federation's governance and lists equality, inclusion and accessibility as core principles.

Bidding is now open for the ITTF World Para Championships 2029, planned for November 2029, as part of the ITTF's 2028–2030 bid process announced on 21 October. Member Associations have been sent the full bid procedure, including requirements, timelines and submission guidelines, and are asked to contact the ITTF Events Team with questions.

The ITTF says the Executive Board decided that a two-year cycle would better serve the long-term interests of Para athletes and the sport, and help Para table tennis keep growing worldwide.

For British Para players, it means a World Championship to aim for every other year rather than once per Paralympic cycle.

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Sources: ITTF, 22 Oct 2026 · ITTF news