The ITTF has launched the bidding process for the Finals of the bigger better and expanded World Table Tennis Championships (WTTC) for 2023.
This will mark the third edition of the enlarged version of the greatest table tennis event on earth which first comes into effect in 2021 in Houston United States and then 2022 in Chengdu China. A series of continental stages taking place prior will be leading to the WTTC Finals which will showcase the very best players from the previous stages.
The WTTC Finals offer the incredible global reach of over 500 million fans on fast-growing TV and digital platforms but are now more viable for a higher number of potential cities and countries across the world to organise and continue the tradition of the most prestigious event in table tennis which first started in 1926 and keeps going from strength to strength.
The 2023 WTTC Finals will be an individual event consisting of the following categories:
Men’s Singles – straight knockout of 128 players
Women’s Singles – straight knockout of 128 players
Mixed Doubles – straight knockout of 64 pairs
Men’s Doubles – straight knockout of 64 pairs
Women’s Doubles – straight knockout of 64 pairs
The new WTTC Finals will be a table tennis festival that will promote all facets of the sport and the city that it is held in around the world. The new format allows for all matches to be televised globally and flexible scheduling to ensure that the key matches are being held at prime times to assist with ticket sales and television viewership.
“Following the fantastic interest and high quality of bids received for hosting the 2021 and 2022 WTTC Finals we are very excited to start the bidding process for the 2023 WTTC Finals. We are looking forward to seeing again a high number of competitive bids from different countries around the globe for the most prestigious table tennis event of the year. The new format of the WTTC creates increased opportunities for interested parties to organise more than just the biggest table tennis competition but also the greatest global gathering for the sport. With a new appealing competition format presented at the highest levels possible and complemented by cutting-edge marketing and promotional activities this will be truly a table tennis event for all!” said ITTF Competition Director Vicky Eleftheriade.
The bidding process is as follows:
Interest phase: 18 July – 30 September 2019 *expression of interest is a must for access to the following phases
Final Bid phase: 1 October – 30 November 2019
Evaluation of Bids (including inspections): December 2019 – February 2020
Selection of the winning bid: March 2020 when the bid presentations will take place at the ITTF AGM in Busan Korea Republic to decide the host for the 2023 WTTC Finals.
To find out more information and to register your interest before 30 September 2019 head to ITTFbids.com.
