Global teams battle for spots at robots championship qualifiers in Moscow

The 2026 Battle of Robots Championship qualifiers are currently underway in Moscow, bringing together 144 engineering teams from 11 different countries. Supported by the Russian Ministry of Digital Development, the high-stakes five-day event is running alongside the Digital Solutions forum to determine which 36 teams will advance to the later tournament stages.

Organizers said the championship harnesses the popular appeal of robot fighting to draw the public into how the machines work. This year's tournament carries a prize pool of 6.6 million rubles equivalent to about 77,000 U.S. dollars and is being live-streamed online throughout the event.