The ITTF World Tour will receive a facelift in 2017.
The International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) is excited to announce the 12 cities that will host the new and improved 2017 ITTF World Tour events. The revamped ITTF World Tour will have a new logo new branding and a new structure to better promote table tennis globally.
On the announcement ITTF Marketing Director Steve DAINTON stated: “In 2016 we have worked hard to look at ways to push the World Tour product forward with new partners and new conditions the desire to host events has dramatically increased and we are so pleased to see conditions such as prize money increasing as well. We will now push forward to ensure events can grow both in terms of popularity and commercially so that over time we can showcase international table tennis more regularly throughout the year.”
The 2017 World Tour will be split into two tiers six ITTF World Tour Platinum events which is the new top tier of the World Tour and six regular ITTF World Tour events.
There was an unprecedented amount of bids to be a part of the new ITTF World Tour with the result being a higher prize money pool for all players.
The six ITTF World Tour Platinum events will have higher prize money and be of a higher level organisation which will ensure the attendance of the world’s best players resulting in more international exposure for the hosts.
The six cities that have won the right to host a 2017 ITTF World Tour Platinum event are:
Doha Qatar: 23-26 February 2017
Tokyo Japan: 16-18 June 2017
Chengdu China: 22-25 June 2017
Gold Coast Australia: 29 June – 2 July 2017
Linz Austria: 1- 3 September 2017
Magdeburg Germany 10-12 November 2017
The regular ITTF World Tour events are:
Budapest Hungary: 19-22 January 2017
New Delhi India: 16-19 February 2017
Incheon Korea: 20-23 April 2017
Olomouc Czech Republic: 24-27 August 2017
Panagyurishte Bulgaria: 7-10 September 2017
Stockholm Sweden: 16-19 November 2017
Australia & Austria move up to the top World Tour tier for the first time after successfully hosting regular lower-tiered World Tour events. India joins the ITTF World Tour for the first time with New Delhi hosting the breakthrough event in February next year.
The 12 events all offer World Tour Standings points which will be used to determine the top 16 players that qualify for the World Tour Grand Finals to be held from 14-17 December 2017 in a location to be determined.
Bidding for the 2018 ITTF World Tour will open in November so stay tuned for more information.
