A brief introduction to the World Robot Olympiad
*Can NOT advance to international finals as an individual competitor*
New to WRO?
The World Robot Olympiad (WRO for short) is an international robot competition for all children and young people aged 8-22 and is organized in USA by USEngineeringleague. We will provide information about the special features of the competition shortly:
- The competition has 4 competition categories, some with different age groups. Take a look here and think about which category you would like to take part in.
- The WRO is a team competition for teams of 2 or 3, supervised by an adult coach. Only in our starter program can you get your first taste of competition on your own.
- First, you register for one of the regional competitions for WRO USEL . There you can qualify for the WRO USA final and then for international finals.
- All robot systems and programming environments can be used in all WRO competition categories .
RoboMission
- Age: Elementary: 8-12 | Junior: 11-15 | Senior: 14-19
- Team size: 2-3 people guided by a coach
- Hardware: Free choice (new starting 2025 season)
- Software: Free choice
- Maximum size: Max. 25 x 25 x 25 cm
- Characteristics: Build and program a robot that solves challenges on a field.
WRO® RoboMission is a challenge-based competition. Students must design, construct and program an autonomous robot that can solve specific challenges on a field. Because the field is set up randomly each round, the robot needs to be able to make its own decisions during the run.
Get Your RoboMission WRO Bundle
WRO RoboMission Bundle Includes
- 2025 Registration: Your Registration with for the 2025 Season will be included as part of the bundle
- WRO Mat: You will get an official WRO RoboMission mat to practice your skills on the mats that will be used for all 2025 competitions
- Official Robot: You will get an official robot that will include a build guide on how to setup and operate your WRO robot
- WRO Challenge Kits: These kits provides you with all the necessary pieces to place on the mat and complete WRO missions. You will receive both WRO challenge and expansion kits
- USEL Online Tournament App: Gain access to the 2025 online tournament platform, where teams can compete
- Curriculum: Our curriculum includes build guides and covers all the basic and advanced skills to be a high competitor at WRO competitions
Future Innovators
- Age: Elementary: 8-12 | Junior: 11-15 | Senior: 14-19
- Team size: 2-3 people guided by a coach
- Hardware: Free choice
- Software: Free choice
- Maximum size: Must fit in 2x2x2m booth
- Characteristics: Develop a robot project that helps solve real world problems.
Teams will present their project and their robot model to a group of judges on the competition day. The judges will not only grade the robot solution but will also look at aspects of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Get Your Future Innovators WRO Bundle
Bundle Includes
- 2025 Registration: Your Registration for the 2025 Season
- Curriculum: Our curriculum covers all the basic and advanced skills for WRO competitions
- Online Challenges: Compete in fun, skill-building robotics challenges.
- Access to Online Portal: Easily manage registrations, resources, and updates.
- Robot: Bundle Includes a robot and build guide to get you started
Future Engineers
- Age: 14-22 (new starting 2025 season)
- Team size: 2-3 students guided by a coach
- Hardware: Free choice
- Software: Free choice
- Maximum size: Max. 30 x 20 x 30cm
- Characteristics: Advanced robotics following current research trends.
With WRO® Future Engineers we created an exciting category for older students. With this new format, we want to bring the current research challenge into schools and teach students an engineering workflow by solving real-world-problems. Teams can use any robot, controller and materials that are in line with the regulations.
Get Your Future Engineers WRO Bundle
Bundle Includes
- 2025 Registration: Your Registration with for the 2025 Season will be included as part of the bundle
- WRO Mat: You will get an official Future Innovators mat to practice your skills on the mat that will be used for all 2025 competitions
- WRO Robot: You will get an robot that will include a build guide on how to setup and operate your robot
RoboSports
- Age: 11-19
- Team size: 2-3 people guided by a coach
- Hardware: Free choice
- Software: Free choice
- Maximum size: Max. 20 x 20 x 20 cm
- Characteristics: Teams design 2 robots that compete with robots of another team.
With the WRO® RoboSports category we introduce a fun and exciting game where two teams each have two autonomous robots on the field playing a sports game. The robot can be built from all materials. There is no limitation to motors, sensors or cameras used in the robot, but the maximum weight is 1.2 kg.
Which robots can be used?
The short answer:
In general, all robot systems can be used at the WRO.
The slightly longer answer:
Depending on the competition category, there are a few special features in the rules that must be observed. For example, in the RoboMission category and the Starter Program, the robot can only be 25cm x 25cm x 25cm in size, or in the Future Engineers category it can weigh a maximum of 1.5kg. Teams that take part in the Future Innovators category can transform a stand up to 2m x 2m x 2m into a robot world and be particularly creative in doing so.
So take a closer look at the different competition categories and think about which category you enjoy the most.
WRO FAQ
How does a WRO season work?
- The WRO season follows this structured competition schedule:
- Regional Championship: Ontario, CA, April 18th - 19th, 2025
- WRO-USA National Championships: Ontario, CA, July 18th - 20th, 2025
- SumoBot National Championships: Ontario, CA, July 18th - 20th, 2025
- WRO-USA Open: Dekalb, Illinois, August 1st - 3rd, 2025
- Open Championship: Europe Ljubljana, Slovenia, September 2nd - 5th, 2025
- Open Championship: Asia & Pacific Manila, Philippines, September 19th - 21st, 2025
- Open Championship: Americas Panama City, Panama, October 19th - 21st, 2025
- Open Championship: Middle East & North Africa Jubail, Saudi Arabia, October 23rd - 25th, 2025
- International Final: Singapore, November 26th - 28th, 2025
How do I register a team for the competition?
- Registration for a WRO season is open from **November to mid-March** via our online system: WRO Registration.
- When registering a team, you must select the **competition category and age group**.
- After purchasing, you will receive a link to enter **student and guardian details**.
- A **signed data protection form** is required when submitting team member details.
Do I need my own robot? Where can I get one?
- Yes, teams must bring their own robot. You can purchase a robot from our store.
- The type of robot depends on the competition category you are entering.
- All robot systems are allowed, but each category has specific size, weight, and sensor rules.
How much does it cost to participate in WRO?
- Each team is charged a registration fee to cover:
- Materials for competitions (e.g., playing field mats)
- Materials for teams (e.g., trophies and certificates)
- Public relations (e.g., flyers, posters, marketing)
- Employees, office, and storage costs
- For teams qualifying for international competitions, an additional fee applies.
Move-in Date and Time
- Regionals: April 18th from **10 AM - 4 PM** OR April 19th from **7 AM - 9 AM**
- Nationals: July 18th from **10 AM - 4 PM**
How many booths are available for exhibitors?
- Regionals: Up to **15** 10x10 booths can fit.
- Nationals: More space is available in **Exhibit Hall B**, allowing for **double the booths**.
Is parking included for exhibitors?
- Yes, exhibitors receive **one parking pass**. Additional passes can be requested.
Will there be WiFi and electricity?
- Yes, **WiFi** and **electricity** will be available.
