TEHRAN – Tehran is playing host to the 20th edition of the RoboCup IranOpen competition, which started on Wednesday and will wrap up on Friday.

Over 400 teams, comprising some 2,000 participants, are competing in 30 specialized leagues, including Rescue Maze, Rescue Line, Design and Construction, Student 2D Soccer, Student Flying Robots, Student Soccer Player, Rescue Simulation, and Soccer Simulation leagues, IRNA reported.

Self-driving car, Rescue Virtual Robot, and Rescue Agent Simulation, creativity, and innovation leagues are among other parts of the competition.

RoboCup is an international initiative covering the areas of artificial intelligence and robotics, with the ultimate goal of developing a team of humanoid robots that is able to defeat the official human World Soccer Champion team by 2050.

The initiative is a platform for testing technologies such as real-time decision-making, multi-agent collaboration, sensor data processing, and navigation in complex environments.

The event was first launched in 1997 and was inspired by the victory of a computer chess player against the then world chess champion, Gary Kasparov.

RoboCup (Originally called the Robot World Cup Initiative) is an international research and education initiative. It is an attempt to foster AI and intelligent robotics research by providing a standard problem where a wide range of technologies can be integrated and examined, as well as being used for integrated project-oriented education.

Recent achievements

Thirteen Iranian students under the age of 12 showcased their scientific, technical capabilities, and creativity, ranking second and third in different leagues of the RobotChallenge 2026 which was held in Beijing, China.

Each year, RobotChallenge, one of the world’s largest artificial intelligence robotic championships, brings together people from all over the world who compete with self-made, autonomous robots in various competitions.

Kicked off on August 8, the event brought together participants from some 48 countries, including China, Russia, Romania, Iran, Japan, Germany, and South Korea, IRNA reported.

Iranian students ranked second in the Technical Report league, third in Robot Rugby senior, and Innovation.

The achievement demonstrates the capabilities and proficiency of Iranian students in constructing and operating robots, the design process, problem-solving, and the effectiveness of technical presentations.

At the Rayan 2025 international artificial intelligence and programming competition, known as the World Finals, Iranian students showcased strong performance in both the AI and programming sections. In the programming section, Ali Safari placed first. China secured second and third place, followed by India, Vietnam, Armenia, Serbia, and Pakistan, respectively, ISNA reported.

In the AI section, Iranian teams, namely No Trust issues here, Pileh, AI Guardians of Trust, AIUoK, red-serotenin, Persistence, and GGWP were placed first to seventh.

The final round of the Rayan international artificial intelligence and programming contest was held on Friday at Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, with participants from 25 countries.

Supported by the Vice Presidency for Science, Technology, and Knowledge-Based Economy, the event kicked off on November 25, attracting hundreds of contestants from the U.S., Russia, China, India, Italy, Chile, Australia, Armenia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Taiwan, Romania, Singapore, Poland, Slovakia, Vietnam, Serbia, Argentina, Colombia, Kazakhstan, and Ethiopia, as well as the host, Iran.

The solo programming section was held with 60 Iranian and foreign participants who worked individually to solve nine complicated algorithmic problems within a duration of three to four hours.

The scientific competition aimed to promote knowledge, foster international networking, and establish scientific authority in AI and programming.

Enhancing algorithmic thinking, problem-solving skills, teamwork, developing innovative ideas, starting new businesses, and expanding AI engineering and programming were among the other objectives of the contest.

Iranian robotics team, called Mositto, managed to win a gold medal at the 8th edition of RoboCup Asia-Pacific (RCAP) 2025.

The competition was held in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, from November 10 to 15, 2025. Hosted by Khalifa University of Science and Technology, it brought together over 160 teams and more than 700 participants with nearly 2,000 researchers, industry professionals, students, and visitors from around the globe, to witness the competition in AI-driven autonomous robotics challenges, with eight leagues and 15 sub-leagues, including soccer and rescue.

The event highlighted themes like smart mobility, AI for sustainability, and technologies addressing regional challenges.

The team, comprising eight students, secured first place at RoboCupJunior Rescue, Rescue Line, and Secondary League, showcasing Iranian students’ talents and creativity to the world.

MT/MG