Fan Zhendong decided to play in the Bundesliga, and the Chinese Table Tennis Association said that "it will fully support and guarantee"

German club Saarbrücken (1. FC Saarbrücken TT) announced in the early morning of the 1st Beijing time that Fan Zhendong, a national table tennis star who won the men's singles gold medal at the Paris Olympics last year, will officially join in the 2025-2026 season to participate in the German Table Tennis League and the UEFA Champions League.

Fan Zhendong, who won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics

For Fan Zhendong's decision, the Chinese Table Tennis Association affirmed it. Fan Zhendong announced his withdrawal from the WTT Tour at the end of last year after he objected to the current mandatory rules and applied to leave the world rankings. In this context, German Bundesliga side Zal Brucken announced that they have signed a contract with Fan Zhendong for next season.

The news instantly spread within China, and the People's Daily and other media outlets reported the news in express newspapers. In addition, some media also introduced the insights of the Chinese Table Tennis Association. "While understanding and respecting Fan Zhendong's wishes, we express our full support and guarantee that Fan Zhendong will maintain a good level of competition and create more brilliance as a table tennis player."