A Call to Action
Please care more about table tennis. We table tennis players exist, and we are trying our best.
The Arab media is so focused on one sport — and you know it. While I love the attention and investment that is going into football, it bugs me that table tennis is not receiving the same attention. This is the purpose of this blog: to put the spotlight on our sport.
Saudi Arabia Leading the Way
The Saudi Arabian Table Tennis Federation must be mentioned. Saudi Arabia is trying to broadcast their domestic league matches — a bold move, barely done by a few countries — that can attract further attention. While broadcasting for major WTT events is covered by WTT, we need the same for regional and national competitions.
Broadcasting Innovation
Saudi Arabia's initiative to broadcast domestic league matches is revolutionary - few countries worldwide attempt this level of coverage for table tennis.
Young Arab table tennis players deserve the same recognition and support as athletes in other sports
The future of table tennis in the Middle East
The Infrastructure Question
Think About This
Why is it that every school has a football field, but not a table tennis table?
Initiatives around the Middle East can be started to show the youth the thrill of playing table tennis. Adrenaline junkies like me would love the speed — and this is exactly what I'm doing. I invite all of you to search for any table tennis match highlights online and see how fun it is.
Table tennis is rarely introduced as a sport to the youth. Most are only taught about football players or basketball, maybe because the community is shaped that way. Now that Sand Smash is here, we are trying to change that.
For Parents Reading This
If you are reading this right now, I want you to know that table tennis is an amazing sport that is accessible all over the Middle East, especially in Saudi Arabia. Clubs welcome all young kids to come and train for free. They invest in them as their new-generation players. Some even provide equipment. If you are a parent, consider it for your kids.
The Hidden Growth Story
Fastest Growing Sport
Table tennis is one of the fastest-growing sports in the Middle East, yet it still receives minimal coverage.
Media Gap
When was the last time you saw a table tennis match covered on a major Arab sports site?
Table tennis is growing fast — but in the background. It's one of the fastest-growing sports in the Middle East, yet it still receives minimal coverage. When was the last time you saw a table tennis match covered on a major Arab sports site? Now contrast that with the hundreds of daily football headlines.
Regional Success Stories Going Unnoticed
Middle East Table Tennis Achievements
🇶🇦 Qatar
Hosted WTTC 2025, WTT events, and youth camps
🇪🇬 Egypt
Top global players like Hana Goda and Omar Assar
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
Investing in league structures and grassroots coaching
🌍 Regional Growth
Lebanon, Tunisia, Jordan, Algeria, and the UAE all have junior medalists or rising clubs
The Numbers Don't Lie
Media Coverage Breakdown
Yet 95% of Arab sports coverage is football — match reports, transfers, gossip. The remaining 5% goes to tennis, basketball, F1, and major PR-backed events. There is no structured reporting on regional TT leagues, youth prospects, or even federation tournaments.
Arab TT championships pass without a single front-page mention on major outlets — as if they are nothing. These are big competitions! A 14-year-old wins a WTT Youth medal, and no Arab outlet reports it. This is huge — for us Arabs and for our respective countries. No one is taking initiative to cover this. But now that Sand Smash is here, we promise to cover all of it to the best of our ability.
The Ripple Effect of Poor Coverage
The Vicious Cycle
This hurts — because less coverage means less visibility, which means less sponsorships. Not only do players struggle, but federations struggle to build a fanbase. Barely any Middle Eastern table tennis federation has over 10k followers on Instagram. Compare that to football.
Kids don't see role models in TT — they only see LeBron James, Carlos Alcaraz, and Mohamed Salah — but not Fan Zhendong or Felix Lebrun.
The Missed Opportunity
The Irony
Table tennis is one of the most played indoor sports in schools across the Arab world. It's affordable, fast-paced, and gender-inclusive. There's a real audience for youth success stories, national leagues, and behind-the-scenes club content.
These are not the only cons. Arab media is losing credibility in how it covers youth or diverse sports. And the irony? TT is one of the most played indoor sports in schools across the Arab world. It's affordable, fast-paced, and gender-inclusive. There's a real audience for youth success stories, national leagues, and behind-the-scenes club content.
Our Mission at Sand Smash
Coverage = Growth
While we are doing our best to fill that void, we need more coverage from mainstream media.
What We're Doing:
- •Covering clubs, players, tournaments in Arabic and English
- •Giving young players a voice
- •Building bridges between federations
- •Making Arab TT visible to the world
What We Need:
- •Mainstream media attention
- •Regular tournament coverage
- •Youth success story features
- •Recognition of player achievements
A Wake-Up Call
It's time for the Arab media to wake up. The table tennis revolution has already begun — and if they won't cover it, we will.
From a Player to the Media
I say this as a player myself: We're playing. We're winning. Now we want to be seen.