Last updated September 25 at 3.45pm

Please note, this is an ever-changing situation and our advice may change at short notice. We recommend that you check our website regularly for the latest advice.

September 22 update (amended September 24 and 25):

Following the restrictions being put in place by the Government, announced on September 22, there are no major changes to the way in which table tennis and ‘organised’ sport will be able to operate.

Table tennis sessions, which are formally organised by a club, league or similar organisation, in line with Table Tennis England ready to return guidance, can therefore continue to operate as they have been doing with the continued application of the bubble of six rule. Further to this, more than six people would be allowed in the hall at any one time, but it is absolutely crucial that the bubble of six rule is observed. It is important however that once someone has finished their table tennis session that they leave the playing facility and avoid socialising.

Individuals must also avoid attending amateur and semi-professional sporting events as spectators.

We have now received confirmation that table tennis community clubs will be allowed to operate with bubbles of 15 for under-18s. Adults and mixed groups and competition must continue to operate in bubbles of six. If you are a club or coach looking to explore the bubbles of 15 U18 participants, you must read and abide by the updated Hygiene and Facility guidance document, which can be found here.

**September 25 update: We were informed by Sport England yesterday that all table tennis clubs and facilities would need to abide by the 10pm closure rule and that not doing so would risk clubs being fined. This led to us releasing updated guidance yesterday to ensure clubs were not put at risk. Following further clarification today, however, we can now confirm that gyms, leisure centres and sports clubs can still operate 24 hours per day providing there is no café/restaurant within the facility. If you have a café/restaurant, this does mean that the WHOLE facility would need to be closed at 10pm and not reopen until 5am (i.e. not just the café). Please contact us on help@tabletennisengland.co.uk if you have any questions or would like any advice. Please also see our local league guidance document here.

Please check your local authorities’ websites in case of any additional measures that may be put in place locally. We will keep this page updated with any significant developments and changes and we encourage you to continue to look at the Hygiene and Facility guidance and Local League guidance documents, which can be found here.

If you are having challenges accessing your facility or your facility is restricting access as a result of any of the recent announcements, please contact us so we can support clubs and leagues to get access to facilities and to also reassure facilities that the recent changes do not prevent table tennis continuing, as it has already been doing safely. Please contact help@tabletennisengland.co.uk

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September 9 evening update:

Following the Government announcement yesterday we have the following update:

“We have sought clarity on what the latest Government announcement means for sport and physical activity, and while social gatherings of more than six people will be banned in England from 14 September, the government has confirmed that organised sports and activities which have been through return-to-play protocols can continue. This includes table tennis.

“People can also continue to use leisure facilities, including gyms and pools – classes within these venues can continue as they are now. 

“That’s because these sports and activities have stringent plans in place to reduce the risk of Covid-19, and because these venues are classed as Covid-secure given the measures they’ve introduced.

“As always if anyone has any challenges posed by accessing their facilities following this announcement please get in contact so we are able to support you.”

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From Tuesday September 1, Table Tennis England is moving into Stage 4 of our return to play roadmap, with local league competition able to resume.

Social distancing and hygiene restrictions continue to be in place and we recognise that not all leagues will be in a position to resume, due to venue restrictions which may be outside the control of the sport. However, league play is now permitted within the current guidance.

As part of this phase we have prepared further guidance and advice for leagues to support a return to local league play. Find out more on our Ready to Return guidance on our website.

Please see the current guidelines and timescales connected to the return of national competitions, plus our refund policy, by clicking here.

When any updated Government guidance is published, we will move as soon as we can to consider what it means for table tennis across the country. We will aim to respond to any changes promptly but we may have to wait for the Government to provide the precise details of their guidance and advice.

Our series of stages through which we anticipate table tennis activity outside of the home resuming are below:

• Stage 1 – Play and exercise at home and limited outdoor play
• Stage 2 – Limited club activity
• Stage 3 – Preparing for localised competition
• Stage 4 – Local competition resumption (where we are now)
• Stage 5 – Restricted national competitions

In all matters, the health and wellbeing of all our members, volunteers, suppliers and staff remain the key priority for the Board of Table Tennis England at this time of uncertainty and change.

Our previous statements

Following the Government lockdown guidance issued in March, the Board initially cancelled all events until the end of May and all national events until the end of June. This position was later updated so that all events, national and sanctioned, were cancelled until the end of August.

For more information on this, how we finalised league tables, a list of cancelled events and how the international game has been affected, click here to read our previous coronavirus updates.