Sparks fly as robot builders from 11 countries pit their purpose-built machines against one another in Moscow, where 144 teams are battling through the high-stakes qualifiers for the 2026 Battle of Robots Championship.
The five-day event, held with the support of the Russian Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media, will send 36 teams into the later rounds. The fights unfold inside an enclosed arena fitted with protective glass, where remote-controlled machines fight until one is disabled or pushed out of the ring, across two weight classes of 110 and 1.5 kilograms.
Adding to the intensity, the Chinese team -- winner of the inaugural championship -- is among this year's favorites, and its squads have long drawn the attention of fellow competitors.
"The Chinese competitors come every year, bringing the heat to the competition and demonstrating how to fight," said Aleksey Varenkov, a participant.
The Battle of Robots Championship has also grown into a genuinely international proving ground, where teams that once faced few serious rivals now meet opponents of equal caliber.
"There're a lot of other teams here. They're on par with a lot of the states as far as competitiveness and as far as prowess. The Chinese team Red Rock, they're the ones we lost to in Abu Dhabi in the championships. Very good robot, very good team, very accomplished," said Matthew Olsen, another participant.
Organizers say the championship harnesses the popular appeal of robot fighting to draw the public into how the machines work and encourage young people to pursue technological applications in the field.
This year's tournament carries a prize pool of 6.6 million rubles (about 77,000 U.S. dollars) and is being live-streamed online throughout the event.
Global teams battle for spots at robots championship qualifiers in Moscow
Global teams battle for spots at robots championship qualifiers in Moscow
