Germany will arrive at the 2026 European Championships in Ljubljana with one of the strongest women’s line-ups in the field, headed by top seed Sabine WINTER and featuring Ying HAN, Nina MITTELHAM, Annett KAUFMANN and Franziska SCHREINER. The top four all enter the Championships with significant ambitions in the Women’s Singles event. WINTER heads the German challenge after an outstanding 2026 season in which she won the Europe Top 16 title in Montreux. The 33-year-old is a two-time European Women’s Doubles champion and five-time European Team champion, while her best Singles result at the European Championships remains the bronze medal she won in Munich in 2022. Despite entering Ljubljana as the top seed, WINTER is taking little notice of her position in the draw. “I haven’t thought much about the seeding so far. Unfortunately, being seeded doesn’t win you matches. What it does show me, however, is that on a good day I definitely belong among Europe’s best and can beat anyone there. Unfortunately, you don’t always play equally well and you aren’t in top form every day. Every one of my opponents there can play very good table tennis.” The European Singles crown remains one of WINTER’s major ambitions, although her preparations have been complicated by the cervical disc problem that interrupted her season during the summer. She has since returned to full training. “It’s true that becoming European Singles champion is one of my sporting dreams. I had actually set that as my goal for this October in Ljubljana. But in recent weeks I definitely haven’t looked ready to win the title. Becoming European champion is extremely difficult anyway. The slipped disc I suffered this summer certainly hasn’t made it any easier – and unfortunately it doesn’t simply disappear from one day to the next. But I am back in full training and, especially over the past week, I have been able to train very intensively. My form in training is improving. The dream for 2026 is not over yet.” Alongside WINTER, Germany can count on three-time Europe Top 16 champion Ying HAN. The 43-year-old is also a five-time European champion, with four Team titles and the Mixed Doubles crown she won in 2018. HAN, however, expects a particularly demanding battle in Ljubljana, not least from her own teammates. “My main opponents will once again come from Germany – and the European Championships are even more difficult than the Europe Top 16, where for a long time only two representatives from each nation were allowed to play. But I’m not putting myself under any pressure ahead of the European Championships. I’ll simply try to fight for a medal in Slovenia.” Nina MITTELHAM has come increasingly close to the Singles crown at the last two editions. She won silver in Munich in 2022 before adding bronze in Linz two years later. The 29-year-old already owns European titles in Women’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles and the Team event, leaving Singles as the missing piece in her European Championships collection. “Unfortunately, it’s not automatic, but it is definitely my goal! After all, it’s the only title I am still missing at the European Championships. I have worked well and played well over the past few months, so I am travelling to the European Championships in good form. I hope I can play my best table tennis, and then we’ll see how far that takes me. It certainly won’t happen by itself.” At 20, Annett KAUFMANN represents the younger generation of Germany’s challenge. Already European champion at U15, U19 and U21 level and a three-time German champion, she will now look for her first Women’s Singles medal at the senior European Championships. “I’m in very good form at the moment, even though I recently had to take a short break because of some minor elbow pain. I have developed very positively since the last European Individual Championships in 2024. Winning a Singles medal at the European Championships would be really cool. As for the colour, I wouldn’t mind for my first medal this time – it would be the first step. The title is definitely still missing from my collection and I absolutely want to win it one day. It certainly won’t be a walk in the park, but I’ve already beaten many good players. Naturally, that gives me confidence. But at such an important tournament, all the other players will obviously be highly motivated as well.” Germany will also have strong options in the Doubles events. WINTER will partner HAN in Women’s Doubles, while KAUFMANN joins MITTELHAM. In Mixed Doubles, KAUFMANN will play alongside Patrick FRANZISKA and MITTELHAM with Benedikt DUDA. HAN believes her partnership with WINTER could be particularly effective. “We’ve trained together quite well and we’re approaching it without pressure. I think we’re quite a good pairing. Maybe I even have a better chance of winning a medal together with Sabine than in Singles. One of our strengths is that, because of our playing materials as well, we are very uncomfortable opponents for anyone. And of course Sabine can immediately attack with her strong forehand whenever the opportunity arises. Basically, we have everything! I’m looking forward to the Doubles!”

The 2026 LIEBHERR European Individual Table Tennis Championships will reach audiences across Europe and beyond, with an extensive network of international broadcasters bringing the action from Arena Stožice in Ljubljana to fans around the world. Host broadcaster RTV SLO will provide live coverage in Slovenia, while DYN will bring the Championships to audiences in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In France, L’Equipe will broadcast the competition live, with Danmarks Radio (DR) providing coverage in Denmark and SVT in Sweden. Sport TV will bring the action to Portugal, while AntenaPlay will serve viewers in Romania. International coverage will extend beyond the European Union through VIJU+, which will broadcast the Championships in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Fans around the world will also be able to follow the Championships live on the ETTU YouTube channel, subject to territorial geo-blocking in countries and regions covered by broadcasting agreements.

France’s Félix LEBRUN will arrive at the 2026 European Championships in Ljubljana with one major ambition still to fulfil – winning the European Men’s Singles title. At just 20, LEBRUN has already built an impressive medal collection on the biggest international stages, including two Olympic bronze medals, World Championships medals and European gold. However, the European Singles crown is still missing, making Ljubljana an important target for the French star. “Of course, the European title is always a big title, but especially for me, at the European Championships I have never done it, so it is a big target. I will try to play my best there. I know there are a lot of players who can aim for the title, but I will try to reach my goals – to play my best and to win the title at the end,” said LEBRUN. Since the previous European Championships in Linz in 2024, LEBRUN believes he has continued to develop both his game and his physical level. “I think the area that I developed the most compared to 2024 is my whole approach to the game. Physically and in my form, I also keep improving.” The circumstances surrounding Ljubljana will also be different from those he faced two years ago. The 2024 European Championships came shortly after an extraordinary Olympic campaign in Paris, where LEBRUN won bronze in Men’s Singles and helped France secure another bronze in the Men’s Team event. “I’m also more prepared for the Europeans because last time it was just after the Olympics. It was an amazing moment for me, but there were also a lot of things to do. This year I will try to be ready and play my best during the whole competition.” His build-up to Ljubljana has not been completely straightforward. An injury forced him to miss the recent event in Macao, but LEBRUN has returned to full-intensity training and believes he has enough time to regain his best form before the Championships. “I had a bit of an injury before that did not allow me to play in Macao, but I’m getting fully better now. I can practise with full intensity. I still have 15 days to get myself back to my best form, and I feel like I’m on a good path, so I will just keep working on that.” A relatively light competition schedule before Ljubljana could even work in his favour. “I will not have so many competitions before going to the Europeans, but I think it will make me even more hungry for the matches and for the tournament.” LEBRUN’s European record already includes Men’s Doubles gold at the 2024 European Championships in Linz and gold with France at the 2025 European Team Championships in Zadar. He also won Men’s Doubles bronze at the 2022 European Championships in Munich and team bronze in Malmö in 2023. At the 2023 European Games, he claimed Men’s Singles gold and Team bronze, while earlier this year he added bronze at the Europe Top 16. His achievements extend well beyond the continental stage. Alongside his two bronze medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, LEBRUN was part of France’s silver-medal-winning team at the 2024 World Championships in Busan, won Men’s Doubles bronze in Doha in 2025 and added Team bronze at the 2026 World Championships in London. With an already decorated career behind him at the age of 20, Ljubljana now offers LEBRUN the opportunity to add the major European Singles title that remains absent from his collection.

Almost 21 years after making her first appearance at the European Championships, Romania’s Elizabeta SAMARA is preparing for another challenge on the continental stage. At 37, with eight European titles and an extraordinary collection of medals behind her, the former Women’s Singles champion remains as enthusiastic about competing as she was at the beginning of her career. The 2026 European Championships in Ljubljana will mark another chapter in a remarkable journey that began in 2005. For SAMARA, the competition has always held a special significance, regardless of how much she has achieved over the years. “My first appearance at the European Championships was back in 2005, so this competition holds a very special place in my heart. I’m happy and grateful to have the opportunity to compete in another edition of the European Individual Championships after so many years at the highest level,” said SAMARA. “I believe that what has never changed over the years is my love for the game and the joy of competing. Of course, the experience I’ve gained has helped me approach things with more maturity, but the excitement and desire to compete are just as strong as ever.” Few players in Ljubljana can match SAMARA’s European Championships record. Her eight gold medals include the Women’s Singles crown in Yekaterinburg in 2015, two Women’s Doubles titles, two Mixed Doubles titles and three Team triumphs. She has also collected ten silver and six bronze medals at the Championships. Among all those achievements, two moments remain particularly close to her heart. “Without a doubt, one of my most beautiful and emotional memories is winning the gold medal with the Romanian team in Luxembourg in 2017. It was an incredibly special moment, especially after losing several finals in previous years. The joy of finally winning that title was enormous, and it’s a memory I will always carry in my heart.” Her individual triumph in Yekaterinburg two years earlier was equally memorable, particularly because she had arrived without expecting to win the title. “Another unforgettable moment was winning the European Singles gold medal in 2015. To be honest, I didn’t expect to become European champion. My goal was simply to win a medal, as I had never reached the podium in the Singles event before. The fact that I managed to win gold made that achievement even more special.” SAMARA’s achievements extend well beyond the European Championships. She won silver at the Europe Top 16 in 2025, adding to her bronze from 2018, and helped Romania secure Team gold at the 2023 European Games, where she also claimed Women’s Singles bronze. Her international record includes Women’s Singles silver at the 2012 World Cup in Huangshi and Team bronze at the 2026 World Championships in London. Ahead of Ljubljana, SAMARA has maintained a demanding competition schedule, with her most recent appearance coming at China Smash in Beijing. “I’ve had a very busy competition schedule recently, with many tournaments, the most recent being China Smash in Beijing. These events have helped me evaluate my level of play and identify the areas where I still need to improve.” “I still have a few days to work on certain details and make adjustments to the things that haven’t gone exactly as I would have liked. I feel confident and optimistic that everything is moving in the right direction and that I’ll arrive in Ljubljana ready to give my very best.” Having witnessed more than two decades of changes in European table tennis, SAMARA believes the women’s game has reached a new level of competitiveness. “The level has increased enormously compared with the early years of my career. Today, European players are extremely well prepared, and the competition is much stronger and more balanced. New generations of talented and ambitious players are constantly emerging, making every match a real challenge.” While experience has given her a different perspective on competition, it has done little to diminish her motivation. Even after winning almost everything European table tennis has to offer, SAMARA continues to find inspiration in the game itself. “My biggest motivation is still my love for table tennis. I play this sport with passion, and I’m happy that, even after so many years, I still truly enjoy being at the table and competing.” “The adrenaline, the emotions during matches, and the excitement of competition are what keep me motivated to continue and always strive for more.” As for what she hopes to achieve in Ljubljana, the Romanian star prefers to keep her ambitions private. “As for my goals in Ljubljana, I prefer to keep them to myself. I know what I want to achieve, and I sincerely hope I can turn those dreams into reality!”

Two years after Sofia POLCANOVA of Austria stood on top of the podium in Linz, the European Women’s Singles title will once again be up for grabs, with a deep and experienced field heading to the European Championships in Ljubljana and several of the players who shaped the closing stages of the 2024 Championships ready for another challenge. Arena Stožice will host the 2026 European Individual Championships from 11 to 18 October, and Women’s Singles will run throughout the eight-day programme. Qualification begins on Sunday and continues until Tuesday, before the main draw gets underway with the Round of 64 on Wednesday. The quarter-finals are scheduled for Saturday, with the semi-finals and title match on the final day of competition. POLCANOVA arrives in Slovenia as the defending champion and one of the most decorated players in the field. The 32-year-old Austrian is the two-time reigning European Women’s Singles champion, having won the title in Munich in 2022 before successfully defending it in Linz two years later. She also won Women’s Doubles gold in Munich, while in Linz she added Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles silver. Her record at the Europe Top 16 includes silver medals in 2023 and 2024 and three bronze medals, while she also won Women’s Doubles silver at the 2025 World Championships in Doha. Her 2024 campaign gathered momentum as the tournament progressed. After opening with a straight-games victory, she beat Veronika MATIUNINA of Ukraine 4-0 and then overcame Sweden’s Christina KALLBERG 4-0. In the quarter-finals, POLCANOVA defeated Germany’s Sabine WINTER 4-1 before overcoming Nina MITTELHAM, also of Germany, by the same score in the semi-final. In the title match, she beat Romania’s Bernadette SZOCS 4-1 to retain the European crown. This time, however, Sabine WINTER will enter the competition as the No. 1 seed. The 33-year-old German arrives in Ljubljana as the reigning Europe Top 16 champion after winning the title in Montreux earlier this year. She is also a two-time European Women’s Doubles champion and a five-time European Team champion, with her most recent Team gold coming in Zadar in 2025. Her individual European Championships record includes Women’s Singles bronze from Munich in 2022. WINTER was also among the leading contenders in Linz two years ago, reaching the quarter-finals before POLCANOVA ended her run with a 4-1 victory. Beyond European competition, she has won three World Championships Team bronze medals, in 2010, 2022 and 2026, as well as Mixed Team bronze at the 2025 World Cup and Singles bronze at the 2026 World Cup in Macau. Bernadette SZOCS, the No. 2 seed and 2024 runner-up, returns with another opportunity to challenge for the title. The 31-year-old Romanian is the reigning European Women’s Singles silver medallist and also won Women’s Doubles silver in Linz. She is a three-time European champion, with Team titles from 2017 and 2019 and Women’s Doubles gold from Munich in 2022. At the Europe Top 16, SZOCS won gold in 2018, silver in 2019 and 2026 and bronze in 2021, 2022 and 2024. She was also a double champion at the 2023 European Games, winning both Women’s Singles and Team gold. Beyond Europe, she won Women’s Doubles silver at the 2025 World Championships in Doha and Team bronze in London in 2026. SZOCS enjoyed an impressive journey to the Linz final. She opened her main-draw campaign with a 4-0 victory and continued past Sweden’s Linda BERGSTROM and Charlotte LUTZ of France before overcoming Spain’s Maria XIAO 4-1 in the semi-final. The strength at the top of the draw extends even further. Germany’s Ying HAN is the No. 3 seed, while defending champion POLCANOVA is No. 4. HAN, 43, is a five-time European champion, with four Team titles and Mixed Doubles gold from Alicante in 2018. She has also won the Europe Top 16 three times, in 2022, 2023 and 2025, and has two European Games Team titles. Her international record includes Team silver at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and World Championships Team bronze in 2022 and 2026. France’s Jia Nan YUAN follows among the leading entries. The 41-year-old won Mixed Doubles gold at the 2022 European Championships in Munich and Team bronze in Malmö in 2023, while she lifted the Europe Top 16 trophy in 2024 and returned to the podium with bronze in 2026. She was also part of the French team that won bronze at the 2024 World Championships in Busan. Nina MITTELHAM adds further strength to the German challenge. The 29-year-old is a five-time European champion, with Women’s Doubles gold from 2018, Mixed Doubles gold from 2020 and three consecutive Team titles in 2021, 2023 and 2025. She was the Women’s Singles silver medallist in Munich in 2022 and took bronze in Linz two years later. MITTELHAM also has two European Games gold medals and World Championships Team bronze medals from Chengdu 2022 and London 2026. France will arrive with considerable depth. Prithika PAVADE, 22, already has four senior European Championships bronze medals – two in Mixed Doubles and two in the Team event – and was part of France’s bronze-medal-winning team at the 2024 World Championships in Busan. Her compatriot Charlotte LUTZ, 21, won European Team bronze in Malmö in 2023 and World Championships Team bronze in Busan the following year. Spain’s Maria XIAO was one of the major figures in Linz. The 32-year-old won the European Mixed Doubles title and reached the Women’s Singles semi-finals, taking bronze. She also has Women’s Doubles bronze from Munich in 2022. Few players in Ljubljana can match the longevity of Romania’s Elizabeta SAMARA. At 37, she is an eight-time European champion, including the Women’s Singles title won in Yekaterinburg in 2015, alongside two Women’s Doubles, two Mixed Doubles and three Team crowns. Her European Championships collection also includes ten silver and six bronze medals. SAMARA won Europe Top 16 silver in 2025 and European Games Team gold in 2023, while beyond Europe she has World Championships Team bronze from London 2026 and World Cup Singles silver from 2012. The

Defending champion Alexis LEBRUN of France will return to the European Championships in Ljubljana with his sights set on retaining the Men’s Singles crown he won two years ago in Linz. With many of Europe’s leading players in the field and Slovenia’s Darko JORGIC preparing to compete in front of a home crowd, the battle for the title at Arena Stožice brings together familiar rivals and a strong group of challengers. The 2026 European Individual Championships will be played from 11 to 18 October at Arena Stožice, with the Men’s Singles competition beginning with the qualification stage on Sunday. The main draw starts with the Round of 64 on Wednesday, followed by the Round of 32 on Thursday, the Round of 16 on Friday and the quarter-finals on Saturday. The semi-finals and final will bring the Championships to a close on Sunday. Two years ago in Linz, France’s Alexis LEBRUN produced a memorable run to the title. He defeated Germany’s Dang QIU 4-1 in the quarter-final before overcoming Truls MOREGARD of Sweden 4-0 in the semi-final. In the title match, LEBRUN defeated Germany’s Benedikt DUDA 4-0 to become European champion. DUDA had reached the final after an impressive campaign of his own. He advanced past France’s Felix LEBRUN 4-0 in the quarter-final before defeating compatriot Dimitrij OVTCHAROV 4-2 in the semi-final. MOREGARD and OVTCHAROV therefore completed the 2024 Men’s Singles podium as bronze medallists. Many of the leading protagonists from Linz are back, and their medal records underline the depth of the field heading to Ljubljana. France’s Felix LEBRUN, 20, already boasts an impressive senior record. His European achievements include Men’s Doubles gold in Linz in 2024 and Team gold at the 2025 European Championships in Zadar, alongside European Games Men’s Singles gold in 2023. He also won two bronze medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, in Men’s Singles and the Men’s Team event, and has collected silver and bronze medals at World Championships level. His older brother, Alexis LEBRUN, 23, arrives as the defending European Men’s Singles champion after his double gold in Singles and Doubles in Linz. He added Team gold with France in Zadar in 2025 and has won the Europe Top 16 in each of the past two editions, in 2025 and 2026. His international record also includes Olympic Team bronze from Paris 2024 and medals at three World Championships. Sweden’s Truls MOREGARD, 24, returns after winning Men’s Singles bronze and Men’s Doubles silver in Linz. A European Team champion with Sweden in Malmö in 2023, MOREGARD has also collected three Europe Top 16 medals. Beyond Europe, he won two silver medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, in Men’s Singles and the Men’s Team event, and has twice reached the World Championships podium in Singles. For the home crowd, particular attention will be on Slovenia’s Darko JORGIC, 28. The 2022 European Men’s Singles silver medallist has also won two European Team bronze medals and enjoyed exceptional success at the Europe Top 16, winning the title three consecutive times from 2022 to 2024 and adding three silver medals. Germany brings an extraordinary amount of experience to Ljubljana. Benedikt DUDA, 32, returns as the European Men’s Singles silver medallist after reaching the Linz final. A two-time European Team champion, he also won Team silver in 2023, Team bronze in 2025 and Europe Top 16 bronze earlier this year. Patrick FRANZISKA, 34, has one of the deepest medal collections among the German contingent. He is a European Men’s Doubles champion and four-time European Team champion, while his individual record includes Men’s Singles bronze from Alicante in 2018. He won the Europe Top 16 in 2021 and is a three-time European Games champion. His international honours include Olympic Team silver and four World Championships medals. Germany’s Dang QIU, 29, knows what it takes to win the individual crown, having become European Men’s Singles champion in Munich in 2022. He is also a European champion in Mixed Doubles and the Team event, a double European Games gold medallist and the 2023 Europe Top 16 silver medallist. At World level, he has Team silver from the World Championships and Mixed Team bronze from the World Cup. Sweden’s Anton KALLBERG, 29, won European Team gold on home soil in Malmö in 2023 before taking Men’s Doubles silver in Linz a year later. His record also includes three further European Championships bronze medals and Team silver at the 2023 European Games. At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, he helped Sweden claim Team silver. France’s Simon GAUZY, 31, is another former European Singles finalist, having taken silver in Budapest in 2016. He added European Team gold in Zadar in 2025 to a collection that also includes five European Championships bronze medals. GAUZY has also won medals at two European Games, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and three World Championships. Few players in the field can match the medal collection of Germany’s Dimitrij OVTCHAROV, 38. The two-time European Men’s Singles champion has also won eight European Team titles and was back on the individual podium in Linz two years ago, taking bronze. He is a five-time Europe Top 12/Top 16 winner and a three-time European Games champion. His international record includes six Olympic medals, five World Championships medals and the 2017 Men’s World Cup title. The depth continues well beyond those names. Tomislav PUCAR of Croatia, Marcos FREITAS of Portugal, Eduard IONESCU of Romania, Alvaro ROBLES of Spain, Kristian KARLSSON of Sweden, Jonathan GROTH of Denmark and Andrej GACINA of Croatia are among the experienced players directly qualified for the main draw, alongside rising talents Andre BERTELSMEIER of Germany, Milosz REDZIMSKI of Poland, Iulian CHIRITA of Romania and Thibault PORET of France. JORGIC will inevitably carry additional attention in Ljubljana. The Slovenian star reached the Round of 16 in Linz two years ago, and this time he will have the opportunity to challenge Europe’s best in front of the home crowd at Arena Stožice. The road into the main draw will already provide

Austria’s Sofia POLCANOVA heads to the 2026 European Championships in Ljubljana with the opportunity to achieve something remarkable. Having claimed the Women’s Singles title in Munich in 2022 and successfully defended it on home soil in Linz two years later, the 32-year-old is now aiming for a third consecutive European crown. For POLCANOVA, the two titles already represent the fulfilment of a lifelong ambition. Yet the prospect of adding another chapter to her European Championships story remains a powerful incentive. “I am very grateful to have won the Women’s Singles title twice in a row. With these achievements, I fulfilled one of the biggest dreams of my career. Winning a third consecutive title would mean writing history once again and achieving even more of my goals,” said POLCANOVA. Returning as the two-time defending champion inevitably brings additional expectations, but POLCANOVA is determined not to let the pressure overshadow her enjoyment of the competition. “I think it’s both. Of course, there is a lot of pressure, but at the same time, it’s also a joy to play because I’ve already won the title twice. I try not to put too much meaning into it and instead focus on improving my game and enjoying the moment, even though that’s not always easy.” Her European Championships record extends well beyond the two Singles titles. In Munich, she also won Women’s Doubles gold and Mixed Doubles bronze, before adding silver medals in both Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles in Linz. At the Europe Top 16, she collected silver in 2023 and 2024, alongside bronze medals in 2019, 2020 and 2022. POLCANOVA also enjoyed success on the world stage, winning Women’s Doubles silver at the 2025 World Championships in Doha. Maintaining such a high level over several seasons has required constant adjustments, both technically and mentally. “I feel like I’ve had to evolve time after time in every aspect of my game, but also in my mental approach to table tennis. People change with time, grow up and of course, I’ve changed as well. I try to focus on myself and on becoming the best version of myself when it matters most.” The challenge awaiting her in Ljubljana could be particularly demanding. With established stars and an emerging generation of talented players competing for the title, POLCANOVA expects one of the strongest European Championships in recent years. “The competition at these European Championships is very strong. For me personally, it’s perhaps the strongest field I’ve seen in the last four years. There are a lot of experienced players with great careers, but also many young players who are already playing at a very high level.” Despite everything she has achieved, POLCANOVA admits that finding fresh motivation after reaching major career goals is not always straightforward. However, her passion for table tennis continues to drive her forward. “When I first started playing table tennis, I never imagined that I would achieve so much. Of course, I had my dreams, but to have actually won so much is still a little crazy for me personally. Everyone has different dreams in life, and one of mine was definitely to win the European Championships in Singles.” “I wouldn’t be lying if I said that I also have my ups and downs, and after achieving some of these goals, it’s not always easy to motivate myself. But I always try to find new things where I can improve, both in table tennis and in myself.” And ultimately, it is the experience of competing that keeps the Austrian champion coming back for more. “What motivates me the most, though, is my love for the game. It’s the feeling when I walk into a match, the adrenaline and the emotions.” In Ljubljana, POLCANOVA will once again face Europe’s best, carrying the experience of two consecutive titles and the ambition to make European Championships history for a third time.

Sweden’s Truls MOREGARD will arrive at the 2026 European Championships in Ljubljana determined to go one step further than two years ago in Linz, where he claimed medals in both Men’s Singles and Men’s Doubles. With the European Singles crown still missing from his impressive collection, the 24-year-old is aiming for the top of the podium at Arena Stožice. MOREGARD enjoyed a successful campaign at the 2024 European Championships, winning Men’s Singles bronze and Men’s Doubles silver. Having already established himself among the world’s leading players, the Swede believes he has what it takes to challenge for gold in Ljubljana. “I had a fantastic Europeans two years ago in Linz, with medals in both the events I competed in. This year the goal is of course to claim the gold, and I strongly believe that’s achievable if I find my level,” said MOREGARD. However, the competition promises to be particularly demanding. With many of Europe’s leading players now firmly established near the top of the world rankings, MOREGARD expects a difficult battle from the opening rounds. “The level in Europe right now is scary high. I don’t know if we’ve ever had as many great players high in the world rankings. So the European Championships will obviously be a very hard and prestigious event to win, and every match will be tough from start to finish.” MOREGARD’s achievements underline his ability to perform on the biggest stages. At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, he won two silver medals, in Men’s Singles and the Men’s Team event. He also reached the Men’s Singles final at the 2021 World Championships in Houston and added bronze in Doha in 2025, having previously won World Championships Team bronze on home soil in Halmstad in 2018. His European record includes Team gold with Sweden at the 2023 European Championships in Malmö, as well as Team bronze medals from 2019 and 2021. At the Europe Top 16, he collected silver in 2022 and 2024 and bronze in 2025, while he also helped Sweden secure Team silver at the 2023 European Games. Despite his experience and impressive medal collection, MOREGARD knows that success in Ljubljana will require consistency throughout the competition. “I think every part of my game needs to work in Ljubljana, as there are so many good players in Europe right now. I will have to take it one match at a time and try and find ways to win matches, and hopefully claim a few medals for Sweden.”