ITTF World Team Finals Stage 1a at OVO Arena Wembley Sets Seeding

Table Tennis England has confirmed the schedule for Stage 1a at OVO Arena Wembley, laying out a high-stakes weekend of national team ping pong that will determine seeding for Stage 2. The results of Stage 1a will determine which seeding position the nations will take in Stage 2, which begins on Bank Holiday Monday 4 May with the round of 32.

The action opens on Saturday 2 May with a morning double-header in Event Session 9. First on court at OVO Arena Wembley will be England women on Table 2 to take on the might of second seeds Japan as Stage 1a gets under way at 10am. That 10:00am block also features China v Romania (women), Korea Republic v Chinese Taipei (women) and Germany v France (women). They will be followed by the men’s team taking on the megastars of China, 23-time winners and defending champions, on Table 1. The match is scheduled for 12.30pm. From 12.30pm, as well as England’s big match, you can also watch men’s ties between Japan and Germany, Sweden v Korea Republic and France v Chinese Taipei.

Sunday 3 May brings two more England fixtures across Event Sessions 11 and 12. England women face France on Table 3 in the first session at 12.30pm. England men meet Korea Republic (South Korea) on Table 1 at 5pm in the second session. Other scheduled fixtures include China v Sweden (men), Japan v Germany (women), China v Korea Republic (women) at 12.30pm, and a 5:00pm slate featuring France v Japan (men), Chinese Taipei v Romania (women) and Germany v Chinese Taipei (men).

For fans planning a Wembley visit, ticketing messaging from Table Tennis England is clear and urgent. This mouthwatering double-header takes place in the morning session on Saturday 2 May (Event Session 9) and tickets are sure to go quickly, so act now and don’t miss out. Once again, a day pass is the best way to guarantee seeing every match on the Sunday, including two England matches? The 5% discount applies too – but we’re down to the last few remaining, so hurry. The organisation recommends a day pass for full Sunday access and flags limited availability.

If you are juggling summer plans, note that football’s World Cup ticketing follows a separate process. To buy tickets, you must visit the official FIFA ticketing portal and register for an account. Fans must register for a FIFA ID to participate in the various sales phases. Englandfootball warns that the official application window for some allocations will remain open until Tuesday 13 January 2026 and that payment for successful FIFA applications will be taken between Monday 9 February and Sunday 22 February; it will be an "all or nothing" process. USA TODAY also highlights that England will open Group L on June 17, 2026 against Croatia in Dallas, with group-stage matches in Dallas, Boston and New York/New Jersey.

Stage 1a at Wembley is the first meaningful test on the road to the round of 32. Book your seat early, pick a day pass if you want full Sunday coverage, and keep an eye on the results that will shape the draw for Stage 2 beginning Monday 4 May.