How big is a table tennis table?
Officials' detail · The table, the net, the ball and the racket · 1 of 4Checked 13 October 2026
A table tennis table is 2.74 metres long, 1.525 metres wide and 76 cm high. Its top is dark and matt, with a white line 2 cm wide round the edge and a thin centre line used only in doubles. International play needs a clear space of at least 14 by 7 metres around it.
How it works
- Playing surface: 2.74 m × 1.525 m, level, 76 cm above the floor.
- Bounce: a standard ball dropped from 30 cm must bounce about 23 cm.
- Colour: uniformly dark and matt. The Laws name no colour.
- Lines: white, 2 cm wide, along each edge. The end lines are the short edges and the side lines the long ones.
- Centre line: white, 3 mm wide, dividing each court into two half-courts for doubles.
- The vertical sides of the tabletop are not part of the playing surface.
- Playing space at international events: at least 14 m long, 7 m wide and 5 m high, enclosed by dark surrounds 50 cm to 1 m high.
- Floor: not light-coloured, shiny or slippery.
Tricky cases
Does a table have to be blue or green?
No. The Laws require a uniformly dark, matt surface and do not name a colour.
What is the centre line for?
Doubles serving. In singles it has no meaning.
Why the rule exists
A fixed size, height and bounce mean a shot behaves the same on any table in the world. The dark top and surroundings let players see a small ball moving fast.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ITTF Laws | As above | L2.1 |
| Wheelchair events | Space may be as small as 8 × 6 m; table legs at least 40 cm from the end line | Reg 3.2.3.1; 3.2.1.4 |
| Masters events | Space may be as small as 10 × 5 m | Reg 3.2.3.1 |
From the rule book
ITTF Statutes 2026, Law 2.1; Regulation 3.2.3. Checked 13 October 2026. Official document: ITTF Statutes (PDF).