Table tennis / Rule 2.4
The racket
ITTF · 2026In short
Blade construction, covering and permitted colours.
Blade and coverings
The blade must be flat and rigid, with at least 85% natural wood by thickness. Ordinary outward-pimpled rubber must be less than 2.05 mm thick including adhesive; sandwich rubber less than 4.05 mm, subject to specified technical tolerances. Covering reaches the blade edge without extending beyond it, with an exception near the grip.
Colours and inspection
Both surfaces are matt: one black, the other a bright colour clearly distinct from black and the ball. Red is not the only permitted colour. Coverings must not be treated physically or chemically. Show the racket to the opponent and umpire before the match and whenever changing it during the match.
Independent explanations and translations, not official federation publications. Based on the supplied ITTF Statutes 2026, effective 01/01/2026: the Laws of Table Tennis and selected international competition regulations. Independent condensed explanations with wheelchair exceptions identified. Administrative, disciplinary and event-specific chapters are not reproduced in full. References use PDF pages.
Sources & approach ↗
Sources & approach ↗