2026 <I>FIRST</I> Global Challenge

2026 FIRST Global Challenge

Incheon, Republic of Korea

7-10 October 2026

Welcome to <I>FIRST</I> Global

Welcome to FIRST Global

We're empowering the next generation of global changemakers through the sport of robotics.

Be Inspired

Be Inspired

From overcoming adversity to sparking change, our participants have many stories to share.

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Sign up for our Newsletter

Keep up to date with what we and our teams are up to.

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For information about attending the event in person, please visit our EVENT page.

THIS IS THE ONLY SPORT WHERE EVERYONE CAN GO PRO®.

The sport of robotics started in 1989 with the founding of FIRST®. In 2017, it was launched worldwide through FIRST Global. Now, it’s an international movement in nearly 200 countries. By making science and technology as exciting as any other sport, we’re inspiring a generation of STEM leaders who will use their skills to make a difference.

MOVIE INSPIRED BY FIRST GLOBAL TEAM AFGHANISTAN

Meet FIRST Global Team Afghanistan, the group of girls whose story inspired the documentary “Afghan Dreamers” and the movie “Rule Breakers.”

OUR VISION

EMPOWER THE GLOBE’S TWO BILLION YOUNG PEOPLE TO COOPERATIVELY SOLVE THE WORLD’S CHALLENGES THROUGH STEM

HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE

ATTEND

 the FIRST Global Challenge.

MENTOR

 youth in technical proficiency.

VOLUNTEER

 at our international event.

EDUCATE

 STEM students worldwide.

SPONSOR

 our global impact.

DONATE

 to our vision.

ATTEND

 the FIRST Global Challenge.

MENTOR

 youth in technical proficiency.

VOLUNTEER

 at our international event.

EDUCATE

 STEM students worldwide.

SUPPORT

 our global impact.

DONATE

 to our vision.

We’ve gathered so many problem solvers here to overcome any challenge. We have future engineers, future doctors, future scientists, future inventors coming together and coming up with solutions that will help everyone around the globe. It gives me great joy and pride to be part of this community. — Anousheh Ansari, CEO of XPRIZE Foundation and FIRST Global Supporter I believe that with STEM, every girl is capable of solving any problem. Participating in this competition means a lot to me because, through this, I get to encourage other female youth in my country that we are not to limit ourselves. We can do whatever we plan, provided we are determined. — Jessica, Team Ghana 2019 123 female-majority or all-girl teams since 2017 This is just as much fun as any other sport, but it can change your life. We get the best of what we celebrate, so let's celebrate science and technology and give every kid that opportunity. The world is in desperate need of solutions. We have to create the next generation of problem solvers and give them the vision, courage, and
skillsets to want to work together
to solve those problems. — Dean Kamen, FIRST Global Founder This is just as much fun as any other sport, but it can change your life. We get the best of what we celebrate,
so let's celebrate science and technology and give every kid
that opportunity. The world is
in desperate need of solutions.
We have to create the next generation of problem solvers
and give them the vision,
courage, and skillsets to
want to work together
to solve those
problems.

SOME INSPIRATION FOR YOU

FIRST Global and United Nations’ ITU AI for Good Initiative Renew Partnership to Expand Global Access to Robotics and AI Education
FIRST Global and United Nations’ ITU AI for Good Initiative Renew Partnership to Expand Global Access to Robotics and AI Education

FIRST Global will support finalist teams from around the world competing in the Robotics for Good Youth Challenge at the 2027 AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva with 60 XRP robotics kits INCHEON, Republic of Korea — October 10, 2026 — FIRST Global and…

READ MORE →

From Teammates to Co-Founders — How Two Saint Lucians Built a Caribbean Tech Movement
From Teammates to Co-Founders — How Two Saint Lucians Built a Caribbean Tech Movement

In 2017, Keeghan Patrick and Shergaun Roserie were teenagers representing Saint Lucia at the FIRST Global Challenge in Washington, D.C. Today, they’re co-founders of two tech-related startups – Orbtronics and Rifbid. After earning degrees from MIT, Howard, and Stanford, they built ventures that have brought…

READ MORE →

His Degree Was Captured by War; One Certificate Secured His Livelihood
His Degree Was Captured by War; One Certificate Secured His Livelihood

When Sudanese engineer Osama Ali lost everything due to the war, a certificate from a global robotics competition became the proof he needed to begin again. “I went to the interview. One of the questions they asked me was, ‘Where is your university degree?’ I…

READ MORE →

FIRST Global Transformed My Life; Now I Volunteer
FIRST Global Transformed My Life; Now I Volunteer

Former students from Brazil, Albania, and the United States of America share how FIRST Global impacted their lives — and why they return each year to give back as volunteers. A Life-Changing Moment For Luiz Costa, the course of his life changed in 2017 inside…

READ MORE →

FIRST Global and United Nations’ ITU AI for Good Initiative Renew Partnership to Expand Global Access to Robotics and AI Education
FIRST Global and United Nations’ ITU AI for Good Initiative Renew Partnership to Expand Global Access to Robotics and AI Education

FIRST Global will support finalist teams from around the world competing in the Robotics for Good Youth Challenge at the 2027 AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva with 60 XRP robotics kits INCHEON, Republic of Korea — October 10, 2026 — FIRST Global and…

From Teammates to Co-Founders — How Two Saint Lucians Built a Caribbean Tech Movement
From Teammates to Co-Founders — How Two Saint Lucians Built a Caribbean Tech Movement

In 2017, Keeghan Patrick and Shergaun Roserie were teenagers representing Saint Lucia at the FIRST Global Challenge in Washington, D.C. Today, they’re co-founders of two tech-related startups – Orbtronics and Rifbid. After earning degrees from MIT, Howard, and Stanford, they built ventures that have brought…

His Degree Was Captured by War; One Certificate Secured His Livelihood
His Degree Was Captured by War; One Certificate Secured His Livelihood

When Sudanese engineer Osama Ali lost everything due to the war, a certificate from a global robotics competition became the proof he needed to begin again. “I went to the interview. One of the questions they asked me was, ‘Where is your university degree?’ I…

FIRST Global Transformed My Life; Now I Volunteer
FIRST Global Transformed My Life; Now I Volunteer

Former students from Brazil, Albania, and the United States of America share how FIRST Global impacted their lives — and why they return each year to give back as volunteers. A Life-Changing Moment For Luiz Costa, the course of his life changed in 2017 inside…

IN THE NEWS

  • August 2026 Team Cabo Verde sat down for a radio interview about their work using robotics to engage more young people in STEM education across São Vicente, where 11 students from nearly every secondary school on the island are now participating in the program. Mentor Vasco......

  • September 13, 2026 For the ninth consecutive time, Madagascar will be among the more than 190 countries represented at the FIRST Global Challenge—the world robotics competition that brings together high school students from around the globe each year. FGC Team Madagascar, two-time world champion in......

  •   September 24, 2026 Team Kenya had a TV spot on Digital Citizen for its wildfire resilience innovations ahead of the 2026 FIRST Global Challenge. The team developed ASAL AI, an artificial intelligence agent designed to identify areas in Kenya at high risk of wildfires......

PRESS
A World United in Incheon: 2026 FIRST Global Challenge Concludes as Champions Are Crowned and Madrid Revealed as 2027 Host

A World United in Incheon: 2026 FIRST Global Challenge Concludes as Champions Are Crowned and Madrid Revealed as 2027 Host

Young innovators from more than 190 countries came together in the Republic of Korea for four days of robotics, global cooperation, and innovation, culminating in the announcement that the FIRST Global Challenge will head to Madrid, Spain, in 2027   INCHEON, Republic of Korea —…