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20h ago

Fan Zhendong Joins 1. FC Saarbrücken for German Bundesliga Season

The Olympic gold medalist ended his break from international play to join Germany’s premier table tennis league.

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Die Champions-League-Sieger des 1.FC Saarbrücken
Fan Zhendong holt in Paris Einzel-Gold
Der Tischtennis-Olympiasieger Fan Zhendong bei einem Match

Overview

  • 1. FC Saarbrücken announced the signing at the Champions League final tournament, confirming the 27-year-old will compete in the upcoming Bundesliga season.
  • Fan Zhendong topped the world rankings for 58 months since 2018 and secured singles gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics plus world titles in 2021 and 2023.
  • After a late-2024 dispute with the International Table Tennis Federation and World Table Tennis operator, he withdrew from the world rankings and paused international competition.
  • He was absent from China’s roster at the recent World Championships in Qatar, marking his first major tournament miss in years.
  • Club manager Nicolas Barroa called the acquisition a landmark moment that boosts both 1. FC Saarbrücken’s profile and the stature of German and European table tennis.