Busan to host World Table Tennis Championships in 2024

The World Table Tennis Championships in Busan, which had been called off owing to the outbreak of COVID-19 last year, are returning to the port city in 2024.

The Korea Table Tennis Association (KTTA) announced Thursday that it succeeded in hosting the world championship again in Busan. During the 2021 ITTF Annual General Meeting at George Brown Convention Center on Tuesday, Busan was selected as host of the World Championships in 2024. Busan earned a total 97 votes, beating its contender Buenos Aires (46) with ease.

Busan already won the bid last year to host the championship, which was canceled owing to the COVID-19 crisis. “We are very happy that all the preparations we’ve made will be taken into action in 2024,” said Yoo Seung-min, the president of the KTTA. “Ping pong players around the world will be able to witness the best level of competition in Busan.”

The championships will run from May 24 to June 2 in 2024 at Busan Exhibition & Convention Center (BEXCO) in Haeundae-gu, Busan, and it will be the very first international table tennis championship to be hosted in South Korea. The World Table Tennis Championships are a massive international event where over 2,000 officials and players from around 100 countries participate. According to a feasibility study conducted by the association, 86% of the citizens in the city hoped to have the event hosted again, with over 40% of respondents willing to take part as volunteers.


leper@donga.com