ARD Sportschau: China's Superstar Brings Table Tennis Hype Back to Bremen
German public broadcaster Sportschau / Radio Bremen reports: Sold-out crowd awaits Fan Zhendong as Bremen coach calls him 'perhaps the greatest player of all time'.
German Public Broadcaster Sportschau / Radio Bremen (buten un binnen) Coverage
Media Coverage: ARD Sportschau / Radio Bremen (buten un binnen)
Published: August 25, 2026 • 18:06 (CET)
Author: Petra Philippsen
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Lead: Werder Bremen’s squad has started strong into the Bundesliga season, but on Wednesday at 18:30, record champions Borussia Düsseldorf arrive — complete with Fan Zhendong and crowds of passionate fans.
He is back: China’s superstar brings table tennis frenzy back to Bremen
He is back: Fan Zhendong visits Bremen for the second time on Wednesday evening — and once again, the hype surrounding the Chinese table tennis superstar has reached new heights.
Barely 20 minutes after Werder Bremen opened ticket sales for the Bundesliga showdown against Borussia Düsseldorf two months ago, countless Chinese fans had already snapped up tickets — even before it was confirmed whether Fan Zhendong would travel with the team to Bremen. But he is coming. Borussia confirmed his participation on Monday, and since then, every single ticket has sold out; the Klaus-Dieter-Fischer-Halle is completely packed.
“It honors us that perhaps the greatest player of all time is coming to us for the second time. It also shows that Düsseldorf takes us very seriously.”
— Werder coach Cristian Tamas in an interview with buten un binnen
Timo Boll guided Fan Zhendong to Düsseldorf
The reigning Olympic champion, former World Champion, and former World No. 1 — considered by many fans to be the greatest player of all time — takes on Werder once again. Only this time, wearing a different jersey.
Last season, Fan Zhendong competed for 1. FC Saarbrücken-TT, capturing the historic Treble of German Cup, Bundesliga championship, and European Champions League title. Peak excellence could go no higher.
In Germany, Fan Zhendong has been celebrated like a pop star. This fueled his desire for new league challenges. His longtime friend Timo Boll helped bring the 29-year-old superstar to his beloved club Düsseldorf for this season. The record champions, eager to restore their championship pedigree, look to Fan Zhendong to guide them back to peak form.
Bremen prepares for an exciting duel
Werder hopes, however, to keep that formidable strength contained on Wednesday evening. “We had a great start to the season with two wins in a tough opening schedule,” explained Werder coach Cristian Tamas. “We are in good form and hope for the home tailwind in our arena. We are looking forward to it and will see what is possible.”
A year ago, when Fan Zhendong played in Bremen for the first time, Werder pulled off a memorable sensation by defeating Saarbrücken 3-2. Because Fan’s away appearances in the Bundesliga are relatively rare, the excitement is amplified. On Wednesday, hundreds of Chinese fans will once again fill the arena to cheer for their idol, while Werder dreams of another memorable night.
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