Introducing the Irish National Closed Doubles Championships 2026
A new chapter for Irish table tennis — and a date for every senior and veteran player’s diary.
Table Tennis Ireland is proud to announce something genuinely new: the Irish National Closed Doubles Championships, taking place on Sunday 31st May 2026 at the South Lakes Leisure Centre in Craigavon.
This is a brand-new addition to the national calendar — a dedicated, standalone doubles championship at the highest level of domestic competition. This event is about giving doubles the platform it deserves in Irish table tennis.
Why doubles — and why now?
Ask any experienced player what they love most about table tennis and you’ll often hear the same answer: doubles. It’s fast, it’s tactical, it demands trust and communication between partners, and it produces some of the most entertaining rallies in the sport. Yet for all its popularity at club nights and leisure sessions up and down the country, doubles has never had its own national championship in Ireland — until now.
We want to change that. We want to create an event that senior and veteran players genuinely look forward to, one that rewards experience, partnership, and the kind of smart, composed play that comes with years at the table.
The Events
Senior Events
- Men’s Doubles
- Women’s Doubles
- Mixed Doubles
Veterans Events (40+)
- Veterans Men’s Doubles
- Veterans Women’s Doubles
- Veterans Mixed Doubles
The Veterans categories in particular are something we’re really excited about. The 40+ game in Ireland is vibrant, competitive, and hugely underrepresented at national championship level — these three events are a direct acknowledgement of that, and we’d love to see a strong field in every one of them.
All events are subject to sufficient entry numbers.
The Details
📅 Date: Sunday 31st May 2026
📍 Venue: South Lakes Leisure Centre, 1 Lake Road, Craigavon, BT64 1AS
🏆 Status: Irish Ranking Tournament – Class 1
📋 Entries close: Thursday 30th April 2026
🟩 Referee: Adrian Brown
Six events. One day. All doubles.
Provisional schedule AM
- 🏅 Mixed Doubles
- 🏅 Veterans Men’s Doubles (40+)
- 🏅 Veterans Women’s Doubles (40+)
- 🏅 Veterans Mixed Doubles (40+)
PM
- 🏅 Men’s Doubles
- 🏅 Women’s Doubles
Who Can Enter?
The National Closed Championships are open to players who meet TTI’s eligibility criteria:
- Affiliated to TTI and in good standing, and
- Hold an Irish passport or British passport from Northern Ireland, and/or
- Born on the island of Ireland, and/or
- Hold proof of residence for 6 years or longer
If you’re unsure about your eligibility, please check before entering — the onus is on the player to demonstrate eligibility if requested by the Tournament Referee or TTI.
A Few Things to Note
- No late entries will be accepted — the deadline is 30th April and it’s firm.
- No refunds after entries are drawn into the format, so please check your eligibility carefully before submitting.
- All matches are played under TTI and ITTF rules.
- Matches are best-of-5 (early round plate matches: best-of-3).
- All competitors will be required to umpire.
- The draw will be seeded in all main events.
- Condensed format: players should expect to play rounds in quick succession throughout the day.
Full tournament regulations are available with the entry form.
How to Enter
All entries must be made online. 👉 ENTER https://tti.justgo.com/workbench/public/events?ref=C043606084DF41A5D00B5A375FB2E1897605F411
Entries close 30th April 2026 — no exceptions.
Help Us Make This Something Special
This is our first national doubles championship, and we want it to be a day the Irish table tennis community looks back on with pride. Six events, one venue, and the chance to be crowned a national champion in a format that celebrates partnership and teamwork as much as individual brilliance.
Find your partner, get your entry in, and we’ll see you in Craigavon on 31st May. 🏓