France will travel to London with arguably the strongest men's table tennis squad the country has ever produced, fresh off a 2024 World Team Championships final appearance in Busan where they were beaten comfortably by China. Analysts now believe the 2026 edition could be a different story.
"French table tennis is in a very, very good place right now," commentator Ash said in a recent tournament preview. The headline act is the Lebrun brothers — Felix and Alexis — who have carried French table tennis to unprecedented heights since they burst onto the senior tour.
"You've got the Lebrun brothers, for anyone who knows. I absolutely love the Lebrun brothers. A strong number one and two for them," Ash said.
The question is whether either can beat Wang Chuqin in a decisive match. Felix Lebrun, 19, has pushed the world number one on multiple occasions but has never taken the match. "Will Felix or Alexis be able to beat Wang Chuqin, for example? Perhaps not," Ash conceded. "But you would expect them probably to beat China's number two or three depending on how in-form and fit Lin Shidong is."
France's depth is what makes them dangerous. Their third spot will likely be filled by one of Flavien Coton, Simon Gauzy or Thibault Poret — any of whom could swing a tie. "That's a strong third player. All three of those doing some pretty impressive things right now in table tennis. Simon Gauzy's obviously got the experience, got the flair too."
The 2024 final in Busan ended 3-0 to China, with the French trio unable to take a single rubber. The dynamic two years on is completely different.
"France, I think, genuinely do have a chance of defeating China," Ash said. "Perhaps I would still possibly pick China to beat them, but I think it's very, very touch and go."
If the draw works out, France and Japan are seen as the twin threats capable of ending China's stranglehold on the Swaythling Cup. China have held the trophy in every edition since 2016, and in all but two editions since the turn of the millennium.
The World Team Table Tennis Championships run at London's ExCeL arena from early May, the first time the tournament has been held in the host city of the original 1926 worlds.