World Cup

The table tennis World Cup was originally for 16 of the world's top players. But who qualifies for this prestigious event now?

by courtesy of the ITTF

The table tennis World Cup first took place in Hong Kong in August 1980 as an experimental event, but it was so successful that it's been contested every year since.

Separate tournaments are staged for men and women, but the women's event only started in 1996, 16 years after the first Men's World Cup.

The World Cup is an invitational event, and was initially for 16 of the World's top players.

But 2009 saw a slight change of format and the number of players was increased to 19.

So which players are invited to take part?

 

  Invited players

The rules of the competition state that 19 players will be invited to take part as follows ...

• the holder of the World Cup

• the World champion

• the champion player or the strongest current player from each of the 6 continents

• 1 player from the host Association

• the top 8 players from the World Ranking List and

• 2 "wild card" selections

... although the number of players may be modified by the ITTF's Executive Committee from time to time.

But, there cannot be more than 2 players from an Association, unless a third is invited as a "wild card" selection.

 

So what happens when there's ...

 

  Dual qualification

If the World Champion and the World Cup title holder is the same player, or the host Association has a player qualified as title holder or from the World Ranking, then the host Association invitation place will go to the next highest eligible player on the World Ranking List.

Two reserves are also named to cover for non-acceptance or withdrawal of players through injury.

 

So what format is used for the competition?

 

  The Intercontinental Cup

The World Cup is initially played in groups, on a round robin basis, with the final stages being on a straight knockout basis.

However, in 2009 a new playing format was introduced.

So, after players have accepted their invitations, there's an initial round known as the "Intercontinental Cup".

The four continental representatives from Africa, Latin America, North America and Oceania compete in an "Intercontinental Cup" which is played in one group on a round-robin basis.

Each of the four players compete against each other with the winner of the "Intercontinental Cup" promoted to the next stage of the event ...

 

  The main event

The final 16 players then compete in four groups of four players, on a round-robin basis, with the group winners and runners-up competing on a straight knockout basis to decide the first four positions.

 

So who are the ...

 

  Previous winners

 

Men's World Cup

Year	Location		Winner			Runner-Up
1980	Hong Kong		GUO Yuehua	CHN		LI Zhenshi	CHN
1981	Kuala Lumpur		KLAMPAR Tibor	HUN		XIE Saike	CHN
1982	Hong Kong		GUO Yuehua	CHN		APPELGREN Mikael	SWE
1983	Barbados		APPELGREN Mikael	SWE		WALDNER Jan-Ove	SWE
1984	Kuala Lumpur		JIANG Jialiang	CHN		KIM Wan	KOR
1985	Foshan		CHEN Xinhua	ENG		GRUBBA Andrzej	POL
1986	Port of Spain		CHEN Longcan	CHN		JIANG Jialiang	CHN
1987	Macao		TENG Yi	CHN		JIANG Jialiang	CHN
1988	Canton & Wuhan		GRUBBA Andrzej	POL		CHEN Longcan	CHN
1989	Nairobi		MA Wenge	CHN		GRUBBA Andrzej	POL
1990	Chiba City		WALDNER Jan-Ove	SWE		MA Wenge	CHN
1991	Kuala Lumpur		PERSSON Jorgen	SWE		GATIEN Jean-Philippe	FRA
1992	Ho Chi Minh City		MA Wenge	CHN		KIM Taek Soo	KOR
1993	Guangzhou		PRIMORAC Zoran	HRV		WANG Tao	CHN
1994	Taipei		GATIEN Jean-Philippe	FRA		SAIVE Jean-Michel	BEL
1995	Nimes		KONG Linghui	CHN		ROSSKOPF Jorg	GER
1996	Nimes		LIU Guoliang	CHN		WALDNER Jan-Ove	SWE
1997	Nimes		PRIMORAC Zoran	HRV		KONG Linghui	CHN
1998	Shantou		ROSSKOPF Jorg	GER		KIM Taek Soo	KOR
1999	Xiaolan		SAMSONOV Vladimir	BLR		SCHLAGER Werner	AUT
2000	Yangzhou		MA Lin	CHN		KIM Taek Soo	KOR
2001	Courmayeur		SAMSONOV Vladimir	BLR		WANG Liqin	CHN
2002	Jinan		BOLL Timo	GER		KONG Linghui	CHN
2003	Jiangyin		MA Lin	CHN		KREANGA Kalinikos	GRE
2004	Hangzhou		MA Lin	CHN		KREANGA Kalinikos	GRE
2005	Liége		BOLL Timo	GER		WANG Hao	CHN
2006	Paris		MA Lin	CHN		WANG Hao	CHN
2007	Barcelona		WANG Hao	CHN		RYU Seung Min	KOR
2008	Liege		WANG Hao	CHN		BOLL Timo	GER
2009	Moscow		SAMSONOV Vladimir	BLR		CHEN Qi	CHN

 

 

Women's World Cup

Year	Location		Winner			Runner-Up
1996	Hong Kong		DENG Yaping	CHN		YANG Ying	CHN
1997	Shanghai		WANG Nan	CHN		LI Ju	CHN
1998	Taipeh		WANG Nan	CHN		LI Ju	CHN
2000	Phnom Penh		LI Ju	CHN		WANG Nan	CHN
2001	Wuhu		ZHANG Yining	CHN		KIM Hyon Hui	PRK
2002	Singapore		ZHANG Yining	CHN		LI Nan	CHN
2003	Hong Kong		WANG Nan	CHN		NIU Jianfeng	CHN
2004	Hangzhou		ZHANG Yining	CHN		WANG Nan	CHN
2005	Guangzhou		ZHANG Yining	CHN		GUO Yan	CHN
2006	Urumqi		GUO Yan	CHN		ZHANG Yining	CHN
2007	Chengdu		WANG Nan	CHN		ZHANG Yining	CHN
2008	Kuala Lumpur		LI Xiaoxia	CHN		TIE Yana	HKG
2009	Guangzhou		LIU Shiwen	CHN		GUO Yue	CHN

 

So when and where are the 2010 World Cups?

  2010 World Cups

The 2010 Men's World Cup will be in Magdeburg, Germany from 29-31 October whilst the 2010 Volkswagen Women's World Cup will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 24-26 September.

 

  Previous World Cups

See what happened in previous years ...

• World Cup 2008

• World Cup 2009

 

2009 Winner
Vladimir Samsonov

  Learn more about other table tennis tournaments

• Olympic Games

• World Championships

• ITTF Pro Tour

• World Rankings

• European Championships