Malta will host the opening matches of the Europe Trophy Qualification Stage when the competition gets underway on Friday 16 January at the MITTC Butterfly Arena, located within Santa Clara College Secondary School in Pembroke. The event is organised by the Malta International Table Tennis Club in collaboration with the European Table Tennis Union.
This qualification stage is the largest of its kind within the Europe Trophy structure, featuring ten club teams competing for places in the Grand Finals. The tournament brings together clubs from several European nations, highlighting Malta’s growing role as a host destination for international table tennis events.
Among the leading contenders are Panathinaikos, who enter the competition as the highest seeded team, and Croatian club STK Pula. Malta International Table Tennis Club will field a strong presence through its MITTC Butterfly team, which includes both Maltese players and international professionals. Additional teams from England, Portugal, Slovakia and Croatia are also scheduled to compete, underlining the international scope of the event.
Malta will be represented by two local clubs during the qualification stage. Malta International Table Tennis Club will compete with two teams, featuring a mix of Maltese nationals and international players. A total of eleven Maltese players will be involved across the MITTC squads, with Malta number one Daniel Bajada captaining MITTC Butterfly. Topspin Table Tennis Academy Andro will also represent Malta and has been placed in the second group of the draw.
Entrance to the venue will be free for all spectators, with organisers inviting the public to attend and follow high level European table tennis in a competitive setting. The programme offers an opportunity for local fans to watch international club competition at close quarters while supporting Maltese players on home soil.
