Note: Some of the this content is expected to change for the 2025-2026 competition season, and should be updated on or before August 1, 2025.
Introduction
There are many ways to implement an event and the best resource is your EEM/RSM to assist with matching the event with your available venue and resources. No two events look exactly the same. The Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (RECF) prioritizes a consistent experience aligned with the Game Manual and Judging process, but you will find that implementing robotics events can be tailored to your available resources to promote sustainability and a positive experience for students, volunteers, and EPs.
Event Formats
RECF robotics events are held locally, regionally, and nationally throughout the year in locations around the world, culminating in the world's largest robotics competition at the VEX Robotics World Championship. The events described in this article include several of the RECF programs:
- VEX IQ Robotics Competition (VIQRC): Elementary School/Middle School
- VEX V5 Robotics Competition (V5RC): Middle School/High School
- JROTC: High School programs that are affiliated with JROTC
- VEX AI Robotics Competition (VAIRC): High School or College/University
- VEX U Robotics Competition (VURC): College/University
Open Tournaments
- Open Tournaments are open to any registered team, and consist of qualification and elimination matches for V5RC, VURC, and/or VAIRC and qualification and finals matches for VIQRC. Open Tournaments may or may not include judging.
School-Based Tournaments
- School-Based Tournaments are a new event format for the 2025-2026 season. Only school based organizations (public/ private/charter) as indicated in RobotEvents.com can register for these events. School-Based Tournaments may have qualification matches and/or be Skills Only events. School-Based Tournaments may or may not include judging. Specific criteria, which are outlined in the "Local Event Requirements" section must be met in order to host an School-Based Tournament.
Conference Tournaments
- Conference Tournaments are part of the new Conference Model pilot for the 2025-2026 season. Participation in a Conference Tournament is limited to teams from the hosting Conference.
- Conference Tournament events qualify teams to the corresponding Conference Championship event. Conferences may run an unlimited number of Conference Tournaments.
- Leagues within a Conference can qualify for a Conference Championship.
Invitational Tournaments
- Invitational Tournaments are events in which the Event Partner can select who participates. Specific criteria, which are outlined in the "Local Event Requirements" section must be met in order to host an Invitational Tournament.
Leagues
- Leagues are events that are scheduled over multiple sessions spread through several weeks. Leagues consist of Ranking Sessions during which teams play in qualifying matches, and then a League Finals Session to determine the League Champions. Ranking Sessions are scheduled over multiple days at different venues, and can include different teams participating in each of those venues. Leagues may or may not have judging. Robot Skills scores are calculated based on each Ranking Session.
- Leagues must have a minimum of one (1) week between Ranking Sessions. A single ranking session may be split over multiple days within the week, but will still be considered one (1) ranking session.
Skills Only Events
- Skills Only Events are categorized as Open, School-Based, or Conference Tournaments but do not have any qualifying matches, elimination matches, or finals matches. To be considered as a qualifying event, a Skills Only event must be held in-person. An RECF RSM will ultimately decide if a Skills Only Event qualifies teams to an Event Region Championship.
- Skills Only events can not be run as Leagues or Invitational Tournaments.
- Live Remote Skills (LRS) events are permitted only by special arrangement with the RSM, and only as an accommodation for teams who, due to geographical or other extenuating circumstances, are unable to easily travel to an in-person event. LRS events are subject to requirements and conditions that will be communicated to the Event Partner by the RSM during the event planning process.
- The deadline to host a Skills Only event is January 31, 2026.
Scrimmages
- Scrimmages do not qualify for an Event Region Championship and do not upload results to RobotEvents.com.
- A Skills Only event that is conducted remotely (Live Remote Skills) is considered a Scrimmage unless an arrangement was made with an RECF manager.
- If an event does not meet the criteria for a Tournament or a League, the event will be considered a Scrimmage.
Workshops
- Workshops provide in-person or online opportunities for those in the robotics community to gain skills, promote STEM, and inspire students.
- Workshops can be customized as desired by the EP and held throughout the year.
- Examples of Workshops include camps, virtual or in-person training, and Girl Powered activities.
- Some workshops are designed specifically for EPs or volunteers, while others may be for student participants.
Event Class Types
Local Qualifying Event
Local qualifying events take place all over the world at locations ranging from schools to private venues to museums. Open, School-Based, Conference, and Invitational Tournaments are considered Local Qualifying Events. These events give teams the opportunity to compete and to qualify for a higher level event. The RECF strives to give all teams the chance to get into as many qualifying events per season as possible.
Conference Championship
The RECF will pilot a new Conference system in the 2025-2026 season. Approved Conferences will qualify teams directly to the VEX Robotics World Championship from a Conference Championship event. A Conference will be considered a subset of an existing Event Region. A team may compete in both a Conference Championship and an Event Region Championship if they qualify for both. When an Event Region is awarded spots to the VEX Robotics World Championship, those will be split between the Conference Championship and the Event Region Championship. Visit the REC Library for more information on the Conference model.
Signature Event
RECF Signature Events give students the opportunity to play at a unique tournament that provides a special team experience. Signature Events have a level of technical expertise, production value, and overall event quality that is above and beyond that of a standard tournament. The mission of these events is to provide more opportunities for teams that may or may not typically attend Event Region Championships or the VEX Robotics World Championship to experience an event of that level. Signature Events that meet the necessary requirements can qualify teams directly to the VEX Robotics World Championship. These events rely on the dedication of Event Partners who provide these special experiences for teams. Signature Events do not have any pre-qualification, experience, or performance requirements to join.
Event Region Championship
Teams can qualify from local qualifying events into their Event Region Championship. This event is sometimes referred to as a State, Regional, Provincial, or National Championship depending on the Event Region. Teams from all over the Event Region compete for a chance to qualify for the VEX Robotics World Championship.
VEX Robotics World Championship
The VEX Robotics World Championship is the final event of the competition season. Teams that qualify get to compete with teams from all over the world. Student-led teams ranging from elementary to university-level showcase their strategy, teamwork, and desire to be crowned champions at this world-class global event.
Note: All qualifying events must use the integrated scoring function in Tournament Manager.