The International Table Tennis Federation(ITTF) World Team Table Tennis Championships kicked off in the southeastern port city of Busan on Friday.

The team table tennis world championships are taking place in South Korea for the first time since the event first launched in 1926, as it also marks the 100th year since the sport was introduced to the country.

Two thousand athletes from 40 countries will participate in both men's and women's team events, with teams each featuring five players, but only three of them eligible to play in each match.

Teams that make it as far as the quarterfinals will be able to qualify for the upcoming 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games, with all the matches taking place for ten days at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center(BEXCO).

The South Korean men's table tennis team won its first match, three to one, against Poland in the opening match of the tournament.