Benghazi hosts first international ITTF Africa Cup, winners earn World Cup spots

The 2026 ITTF Africa Cup is under way in Benghazi, Libya, bringing 45 players from 14 countries to compete for continental honours and coveted places at the ITTF World Cup in Macao. The event runs Feb. 7–9 and marks Libya’s first time hosting an international table tennis tournament, a milestone for local fans and regional development of the sport.

Tournament organisers list 27 men and 18 women in the field. The men’s competition carries sharp stakes: twenty-seven men will contest four World Cup slots, creating intense pressure in each match as contenders chase Macao qualification for the World Cup scheduled March 30–April 5. Multiple reports state that Egypt will field three players; Vanguard ties that allocation specifically to the men’s World Cup slots, while other reports indicate Egypt has entered three players in each event.

The entry list reads like a map of African table tennis rivalries and rising talent. Six‑time Africa Cup champion Omar Assar returns to defend his crown and set the tone for the competition. Assar framed the task simply: “Every match will be a battle,” a reminder of the narrow margins that decide qualification. Quadri Aruna, a five‑time winner, is on a mission to match Assar’s haul but arrives with limited recent international appearances, meaning he must be at his best to challenge.

Egypt’s men’s squad includes left‑handers Youssef Abdelaziz and Mostapha Badr, both tipped for podium contention. Cameroon’s Ylane Batix arrives off a semifinal showing in 2025 and an ITTF World Cup debut; Benin’s Abdel‑Kader Salifou, a former French youth international, brings recent semifinal form from Tunis; Algeria’s Mehdi Bouloussa is noted for a calm, crafty style; Tunisia’s teenage Wassim Essid is a dark horse after nearly toppling Assar 4‑3 last year. Host player Habeb Alajaebi will enjoy strong home support, and a run into the knockout rounds would be a major local milestone.

The women’s draw features Egypt’s powerful trio: Hana Goda, 18 and a three‑time Africa Cup champion, Dina Meshref, a record nine‑time winner seeking to reclaim the title she lost in 2025, and Mariam Alhodaby, the 2021 African Championships winner still chasing a first Africa Cup crown. Goda warned she will rely on experience to hold off challengers and said she will use that edge to “maintain dominance against a stronger field.” Young talents include Nigeria’s Fatimo Bello, Tunisia’s 15‑year‑old Ela Saidi, Algeria’s cadet champion Jade Marice, Madagascar’s Hanitra Raharimanana and South Africa’s Rochica Sonday.

For local communities and club players, Benghazi’s staging of the Africa Cup is a practical sign that elite table tennis can expand beyond established venues, generating coaching opportunities, crowd experience and inspiration for juniors. Watch the men’s side closely for intense battles around the four World Cup slots and follow Hana Goda and Dina Meshref as they navigate a deeper field. With veterans and new generation stars colliding in Libya, the results here will shape who heads to Macao and where African table tennis draws its next storylines.