Mark Bates Ltd Nationals: Tickets on sale, new format and FanZone

Table Tennis England has put tickets on sale for the Mark Bates Ltd National Championships, scheduled for 20–22 March 2026 at the University of Nottingham (as listed by Table Tennis England) and the David Ross Sports Village in Nottingham (as listed by Eventbrite). The announcement, posted on 2 March 2026, confirms Friday’s qualifying will be free to watch while Saturday and Sunday are ticketed.

Eventbrite’s listing states plainly, “The qualifying event on Friday is FREE to attend and tickets are not required to access the venue to watch.” Weekend pricing aligns with the Table Tennis England pricing table: Adult (members) — Friday Free | Saturday £10.00 | Sunday £15.00; Child (U18’s) — Friday Free | Saturday £5.00 | Sunday £7.50. The Table Tennis England page also carries the exact administrative note: "\ please note, under-16s must be accompanied by a paying adult." Eventbrite’s ticket page adds that prices “start from as little as £5 for children and £10 for adults (excl fees) for a full day's action,” and Table Tennis England warns that “Tickets bought ‘on the door’ – if still available – will be charged at 20% more.”

The 2026 Nationals introduce a refreshed competition structure that brings qualifying and the main draw together under one roof. Table Tennis England describes the change: “For the first time in recent years, the opening day of the Nationals will see the Men’s and Women’s Singles qualifying rounds.” Competitors will contest qualifying to become “one of 24 players in each gender who will progress to the main draw on Saturday, where eight players invited on the basis of rankings will be waiting in the Round of 32.” Doubles will remain on the schedule, with early rounds on Friday and continuing into Saturday, preserving doubles as a central part of the flagship competition.

Eventbrite frames the weekend’s stakes by name-checking high-calibre entrants: “English Olympians, Paralympic medallists and Commonwealth champions are among the stars seeking to be called National Champion.” Table Tennis England highlights England No 1 Tin-Tin Ho as a headline name, noting she “will be aiming to win an eighth Women’s Singles title and own the record outright having moved joint top of the all-time list alongside Jill Parker MBE last year.”

Spectator experience will expand beyond match play with a Fan Zone running on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 March. Eventbrite promotes the activation: “Play on the tables and take part in competitions in our Fan Zone with games and activities to get involved with,” and encourages fans to “See players in action just a months ahead of the World Team Table Tennis Championships in London!”

On media and archives, TTE.TV’s pages list past National Championship videos and state, “All streams are powered by Joymo, a dedicated OTT platform for your sport.” The TTE.TV listing includes administrative contact strings visible on the platform: “Privacy Policy 01908208860 Bradwell Road Loughton Lodge Milton Keynes MK8 9LA.” The sources reviewed do not explicitly confirm a live stream for the 2026 event; TTE.TV provides context through archives and platform capability rather than a direct 2026 broadcast confirmation.

Table Tennis England’s promotion calls the event potentially historic: “Tickets to what could be a historic Mark Bates Ltd National Championships are now on sale.” With qualifying free on Friday and Finals Day priced as the most in-demand session, organisers note tickets are likely to sell quickly, particularly for Sunday’s Finals.