Table Tennis Power Shifts: Puerto Rico & Argentina Claim Continental Titles, Qualifying for London 2026
LAUDERDALE, FL - Dramatic upsets unfolded across recent continental championships, as puerto Rico and Argentina emerged victorious in team competition, securing their places alongside other top nations at the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals london 2026. The results signal a potential shift in the global table tennis landscape as teams vie for qualification for the prestigious event, marking 100 years as both the championships and the ITTF were founded in the British capital.
The united States suffered defeats on home soil,falling to both Puerto Rico in the women’s final and Argentina in the men’s. These results, alongside singles victories for Adriana Diaz of Puerto Rico and Hugo Calderano of brazil, highlight the growing competitiveness outside of customary powerhouses and set the stage for a thrilling competition in London. A total of 48 teams per gender have now qualified through continental pathways, with the remaining spots to be steadfast by the November 2025 ITTF World Team Rankings.
Puerto Rico’s women’s team, spearheaded by singles champion Adriana Diaz, stunned the United States 3-1 in a captivating final. Diaz secured two pivotal points, first defeating Sally Moyland and later overcoming Lily Zhang in a decisive five-game match. Brianna Burgos clinched the championship for Puerto Rico with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Jessica Reyes Lai.
Argentina’s men experienced a remarkable comeback to defeat the United States 3-2 in a nail-biting final.Kanak Jha initially gave the hosts the lead with a five-game win over Santiago Lorenzo, but horacio Cifuentes leveled the score with a straight-sets victory against sid naresh. Francisco Sanchi then edged Jishan Liang in five games, putting Argentina ahead. jha battled back to defeat Cifuentes, forcing a deciding match, which Lorenzo ultimately won 3-0, securing Argentina’s continental crown.
Earlier in the week, hugo Calderano of Brazil claimed the men’s singles title with a 4-1 victory over Jha, while Diaz captured the women’s singles crown with a commanding 4-0 triumph over Brazil’s Bruna Takahashi. Joining Puerto Rico and Argentina in London 2026 will be Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Chile, and Guatemala, among others.
The ITTF World Championships will be held in London from April 28 to May 10, 2026.
[[[[Full list of qualified teams available here]
All qualification spots are subject to confirmation by the respective member associations.
