A century after its foundation, the International Table Tennis Federation returned to where it all began to revisit its past while also deciding its future. In London, the ITTF held its Centenary Annual General Assembly, an event rich in symbolism and institutional significance that brought together delegates from around the world at the Hilton London Wembley for a day marked by historic decisions. One hundred years after that first meeting in which nine nations gave shape to the federation, table tennis reconnected with its own history in a city that represents not only its origin, but also the starting point of a new era.

The day carried the weight of moments that go beyond protocol. More than an administrative meeting, the Assembly became a space for collective reflection on the place table tennis occupies today in the global sports ecosystem and on the structures it needs to remain sustainable over time. In that context, the historic vote on a new Centenary Constitution became the focal point of a gathering that sought something deeper than updating statutes: redefining the institutional architecture of a sport facing new cultural, technological, and generational challenges without losing sight of the tradition that sustains it.

A new Constitution for table tennis’ second century

The central moment of the Assembly came with the vote by Member Associations to adopt the new Centenary Constitution, a document shaped through one of the broadest and most inclusive consultation processes in ITTF history. The reform is not only a response to a regulatory need, but also a structural transformation in the way the federation understands its governance. The new statutes aim to provide table tennis with a stronger, more modern, and more representative institutional framework to face the challenges of its second century, in line with the mandate granted by its members at the 2025 Annual General Assembly.

The symbolic weight of the moment was captured in the words of President Petra Sörling, who connected the vote to the federation’s founding act one hundred years ago. Speaking to delegates, she recalled that in that very city the document that gave birth to the Federation was signed, and emphasized that it now falls to this generation to give the sport the structure it needs to continue growing. Her remarks were not simply an appeal to institutional memory, but to an idea of continuity: safeguarding table tennis’ legacy also requires reshaping its foundations so the sport can remain relevant in a constantly changing global landscape.

Global governance and a federation in transformation

Beyond the constitutional reform, the Assembly also served as a reflection of the transformation process the ITTF has driven in recent years. In her remarks, Sörling spoke of a dual responsibility: protecting the sport while building a federation better prepared for the future. That vision has guided a series of changes aimed at responding to the evolving consumption habits of younger audiences, strengthening institutional sustainability, and correcting historic imbalances in decision-making. The formation of a younger Executive Board, with greater gender balance and representation from every continent, was presented as a tangible sign of that evolution.

The breadth of the agenda discussed throughout the day confirmed that the ITTF’s transformation is not limited to legal reform. Development, governance, expansion, and international projection were all part of a broader discussion that also recognized the grassroots work of Member Associations and the role of host cities in the sport’s growth. In that context, the Peruvian Table Tennis Federation was recognized as the Most Active Member Association, an acknowledgment that highlighted the daily work sustaining the growth of table tennis beyond the sport’s biggest stages. At the same time, the centenary celebration extended beyond the debate hall: the ITTF Summit 2026 ran alongside the World Team Championships Finals and a gala at the historic Guildhall in London, where the international table tennis community gathered once again—not to found a sport, but to decide how it intends to sustain it.