USEL Affiliate Program Updates
Important changes to the WRO season, USA National Robotics Team qualification, and competition structure in the United States.
Get Started — Choose Your TierWRO Is an Open Hardware Competition
WRO competitions are open hardware, meaning all affiliate teams are responsible for bringing their own WRO-compliant robots to every event. There is no standardized required kit — teams may use any hardware that meets the official WRO rules for their category. Note: Contracted public school teams use USEL-provided robots and must follow the official USEL robot design at their tournaments.
2026 WRO Season and USA NRT Qualification
As we approach the new year, an exciting new WRO season is fast approaching. With this season comes new challenges, a redesigned competition mat, and brand new rules.
Beginning next season, our goal is to provide a more consistent, equitable, and scalable qualification pathway for the USA National Robotics Team through both affiliate programs and public school championships as we prepare for the WRO 2026 International World Finals.
- Three affiliate tiers to match your needs
- Details about the first ever USEL Affiliate Cup
- Regional Open Qualifiers for the Americas Championship
- Clear pathways to the Americas Open or International Finals
USEL Affiliate Tiers
Three tiers designed to match your participation goals, whether you're registering a team, hosting events, or bringing WRO to your school district.
WRO Season Pass
For parents, schools, or organizations registering one team
- One team registration included
- Purchase additional team registrations at a reduced cost
- Eligibility to register for the USEL Affiliate Cup (separate registration fees apply)
- Eligibility to register for Regional Open Qualifiers (fees set by Event Organizers)
- Access to official WRO materials and resources
- Pathway to Americas Open Championship or International Finals
Event Organizer Pass
For organizations wanting to host their own WRO events
- Host your own sanctioned WRO Regional Open Qualifiers
- Register unlimited teams to your own hosted events at no additional USEL fee
- Apply to host next year's USEL Affiliate Cup
- Your events serve as Open Qualifiers for the Americas Open Championship
- Access to competition resources and guidance from USEL
- Build your local robotics community
Affiliate Educator Tier
For districts or organizations hosting their own WRO program
Everything you need to launch WRO in your district
- 2 Competition Mats of your choice
- 2 Challenge Kits included
- 2 Expansion Kits included
- 15 Team Registrations included
- Educator is responsible for teaching lessons, registering teams, and setting up events
- Top performing teams at their district-wide event will be invited to participate in the School National Championship
Additional discounts on select items in our store
Terms — Public School Nationals Participation
To participate in the USEL School National Championship, you must host your own competition to qualify students. USEL will allocate a number of spots depending on the size of your event. This event must be a school district-wide event with at least one team per school participating. A school principal or district representative must be physically present at the School National Championship.
Note: The Season Pass and Event Organizer Pass grant eligibility to participate in WRO competitions. Registration fees for the Affiliate Cup and Regional Open Qualifiers are separate and vary by event. If you participate through an organization with the Event Organizer Pass, you do not need a separate Season Pass for events they host.
Key Changes at a Glance
A new national framework for WRO competitions and USA NRT qualification.
USEL Affiliate Program
Beginning next season, all teams and organizers will participate through one of three affiliate tiers: the Season Pass for individual teams, the Event Organizer Pass for those hosting competitions, or the Educator Tier for school districts.
Affiliate Cup
The first ever USEL Affiliate Cup is a national level competition that awards USA NRT qualification spots to both the International Finals and the Americas Open Championship.
Regional Open Qualifiers
Event Organizer tier affiliates can apply to host Regional Open Qualifiers for the WRO Americas Open Championship.
Introducing the USEL Affiliate Cup
This national level event is the primary pathway for affiliates seeking to qualify for the USA National Robotics Team and advance to the international stage. The Affiliate Cup awards qualification spots to both the WRO International Finals and the WRO Americas Open Championship.
Important Change: Teams are no longer allowed to compete at both the Americas Open Championship and the International Finals. When you qualify, you must choose one path.
International Finals qualification spots from the Affiliate Cup:
- RoboMission - one team from each age group
- RoboSports - one qualifying team
- Future Innovators - one qualifying team
- Future Engineers - one qualifying team
Additional USA NRT teams may qualify through partnered public school championship events, meaning there may be more than one USA team per category at the WRO International Finals.
USEL Affiliates with the Event Organizer Pass may apply to host next year's Affiliate Cup, giving organizers an opportunity to showcase their region and welcome teams from across the country.
Regional Open Qualifiers
Affiliate-hosted Regional Open Qualifiers award qualification spots to the WRO Americas Open Championship (not the International Finals).
USEL Approval Required
All Regional Open Qualifiers must be approved by USEL prior to being held. We provide guidance, but Event Organizers manage hosting, registrations, and event logistics.
Application Process
Event Organizers can apply to host Regional Open Qualifiers or next year's Affiliate Cup. Applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
More Information Coming
Additional details about affiliate tiers, benefits, requirements, and pricing will be published on our website soon. Check back regularly for updates.
Two Qualification Pathways
Whether you're part of a public school or an independent team, there's a clearly defined path to national and international competition.
About WRO International Finals Spots
International Finals spots are issued by the international WRO body — USEL has no control over the total number of spots awarded to the United States. USEL distributes the spots it receives proportionally based on the number of competing teams in each division. The pathway with more competing teams will receive more spots.
Public School Pathway
For any public school participating in a USEL program
Who It's For
Any public school participating in a USEL/WRO Program. Schools can join either as an Official Partner School — where USEL sends in-person instructors and provides all equipment — or independently through the Educator Tier, where the school runs its own program.
How It Works
Official Partner Schools Only
- USEL sends trained staff and robotics equipment directly to the school site
- Our instructors teach every weekly lesson — no extra burden on your school's teachers
- USEL provides all robots. Teams must use the official USEL robot design — no outside hardware permitted
Educator Tier Schools
- USEL does not send staff, instructors, or robots to Educator Tier schools
- Educators are fully responsible for teaching lessons, managing teams, and sourcing their own WRO-compliant robots
- Educator Tier schools are encouraged to use the USEL robot design but are not required — teams may use any WRO-compliant robot of their choice
- Educator Tier schools must host a district-wide qualifying event with at least one team per school participating
- A school principal or district representative must be physically present at the Public School Nationals Championship
A school administrator (principal or above) must be physically present at all events, regardless of school type.
Competition Pathway
- District Championship — partnered school districts compete against one another
- Regional District Championship — Educator Tier schools host a district-wide event; top performing teams advance to the School National Championship
- School National Championship — top teams from District and Regional District Championships advance nationally
Interested in becoming an Official Partner School? Get USEL instructors and robots sent directly to your school. Get in touch with us here.
Affiliate Pathway
Open to any structured, organized team or organization
Season Pass — Tier 1
Best for individuals, families, small clubs, or schools registering one or a small number of teams. Includes one team registration with the ability to purchase additional registrations at a reduced cost.
- Eligibility to compete in the USEL Affiliate Cup
- Eligibility to compete in Regional Open Qualifiers
- Bring your own WRO-compliant robot — WRO is open hardware for all affiliate events
Event Organizer Pass — Tier 2
For organizations that want to host their own sanctioned WRO Regional Open Qualifiers and support multiple teams in their community.
- Host your own USEL-sanctioned Regional Open Qualifiers
- Register unlimited teams to your own events at no additional USEL fee
- Apply to host next year's USEL Affiliate Cup
- All events must be approved by USEL prior to being held
Key Notes
The Public School Pathway is for public schools and districts — either as an Official Partner School (USEL provides staff and equipment) or independently through the Educator Tier, where the school runs its own program and competes through the District or Regional District Championship route.
The Affiliate Pathway is open to any organized team or group — Season Pass for individual teams and small clubs, and Event Organizer Pass for those looking to host sanctioned WRO events in their community.
Both pathways lead to national and international competition — but through separate, dedicated tournament tracks that do not overlap.
Our Affiliates Across the Country
Explore our growing network of USEL affiliates and find programs near you.
Choose Your Tier & Get Started
Select the path that's right for you and join the 2026 WRO season today.
Season Pass
Register your team and compete in the Affiliate Cup and Regional Open Qualifiers.
Get Season PassEducator Tier
Bring WRO to your school district with mats, kits, and team registrations included.
Apply NowFrequently Asked Questions
Clarifying tiers, qualification, and how teams advance.
Do I need to become an affiliate to participate in WRO competitions?
Yes. To participate, you need either a Season Pass (for individual teams), be part of an organization with an Event Organizer Pass, or join through the Educator Tier (for school districts). These passes grant eligibility to register for competitions. Registration fees for the Affiliate Cup and Regional Open Qualifiers are separate. If you participate through an Event Organizer's own hosted events, you may not need your own Season Pass for those specific events.
What's the difference between the three tiers?
The Season Pass includes one team registration and allows you to purchase additional registrations at a reduced cost. The Event Organizer Pass allows organizations to host their own sanctioned WRO events and register unlimited teams to their own events at no additional USEL fee. The Educator Tier ($1,000) is designed for anyone wanting to host a robotics program in collaboration with a district — the educator is responsible for teaching lessons, registering teams, and running their own events. It includes 2 mats, 2 challenge kits, 2 expansion kits, and 15 team registrations.
What is the difference between the Public School Pathway and the Educator Tier?
To participate in the Public School Pathway, your school or district must either be an Official USEL Partner School or hold an Educator Tier pass. Official Partner Schools have USEL staff, robots, and equipment sent directly to their site — our instructors teach every lesson with no extra burden on school teachers. These schools compete in the District Championship and School National Championship, separate from affiliate events.
The Educator Tier is for schools, districts, or organizations that want to run their own WRO program independently. Educators in this tier handle their own instruction, team registration, and events, and must host a district-wide qualifying event to advance teams to the School National Championship.
How do Regional Open Qualifiers work?
Regional Open Qualifiers are hosted by Event Organizers and award qualification spots to the WRO Americas Open Championship. All Regional Open Qualifiers must be approved by USEL before being held. Note: Regional Open Qualifiers do not award spots to the International Finals. Only the Affiliate Cup does.
Will there be just one team selected for Team USA for each category?
Through the Affiliate Cup, one team will be selected for each category (and one per age group for RoboMission) to represent the United States. Additional Team USA spots may be awarded through the School National Championship, so there may be more than one USA team per category at the WRO International Finals.
Will there be US Nationals of WRO in 2026?
The Affiliate Cup replaces the traditional US Nationals for teams outside of the School National Championship pathway. The School National Championship offers additional qualification pathways for public school teams.
Can I register directly for the Americas Open Championship?
Only SumoBots allows direct registration to the Americas Open Championship. All other categories must compete in the Affiliate Cup or Regional Open Qualifiers to earn qualification spots.
Can a team attend both the Americas Open Championship and the International Finals?
No. Starting this season, teams are no longer allowed to compete at both events. You must choose one path: either the WRO Americas Open Championship or the WRO International Finals.
Do Event Organizers pay per-team fees for their own events?
No. Event Organizers do not pay USEL per-team fees to register teams to their own hosted events. However, if an Event Organizer wants to send teams to other competitions, registration fees are set by that event's organizer.
Get in Touch
Questions about the affiliate program, tiers, or the Affiliate Cup? We're here to help.
