Nigerian table tennis star Quadri Aruna is set to begin a new chapter of his career in France when Amiens Sport Tennis de Table (Amiens STT) host Lille Métropole TT in the opening round of the 2026/27 French Pro B season on Tuesday, September 22.

The encounter, scheduled for 7pm at the Salle Albéric-Labaume in Amiens, will mark Aruna’s competitive debut for the ambitious French club following his summer move. Amiens have made promotion to the elite Pro A their clear objective after narrowly missing out last season. 

The 37-year-old Nigerian is one of several high-profile additions to an Amiens squad that has been significantly strengthened ahead of the new campaign. The French Table Tennis Federation described Aruna and South Korean international Cho Seungmin as major reinforcements for a club determined to take the final step towards promotion. 

Aruna will be joined by experienced internationals including Austria’s Robert Gardos and Portugal’s João Monteiro, while Horacio Cifuentes, Santiago Lorenzo and Frenchman Denis Dorcescu also remain part of the squad. Amiens’ official roster lists Aruna, Gardos, Cho, Monteiro, Cifuentes, Lorenzo and Dorcescu among its Pro B players. 

Monteiro brings considerable pedigree to the team, while Gardos offers extensive international experience. Cho, meanwhile, arrives with a former world top-40 ranking and a team world championship title to his name. 

Amiens’ ambitions are clear after the club fell to Chartres in the Pro B play-off semi-finals last season, despite winning the first leg 3-2 before losing the return 3-0. The French federation says the club’s objective for the new campaign is to reach the final and secure promotion to Pro A. 

Aruna’s arrival adds further weight to that ambition. The Nigerian remains one of Africa’s most decorated players and reached a career-high world ranking of 16, while also becoming the first African player to break into the men’s world top 10.

Amiens’ first assignment, however, will come against a Lille side that the French federation identifies among the teams capable of challenging the leading promotion contenders. The federation expects the 2026/27 Pro B campaign to be highly competitive, with Lille, Fréjus and Nantes among the clubs capable of disrupting the established order. 

The opening-day fixture therefore offers Aruna an immediate test as he begins his latest European club adventure. Amiens will be hoping their new-look squad can translate its considerable international experience into results as the club pursues a return to France’s top flight.

The French Pro B season begins on September 22, with the 12 participating clubs set to battle through a campaign featuring both regular-season competition and play-offs. The French federation has also confirmed that the 2026/27 season will be played under a transitional format ahead of a wider reform of the professional championships from 2027/28. 

Aruna will not be the only Nigerian in the French Pro B spotlight this season. Fellow Nigerian internationals, including Olajide Omotayo, Taiwo Mati and veteran Segun Toriola, are also part of the growing African presence in the French professional system.