The Kuwait National Robotics Competition (KNRC) has opened registration for its 2026–2027 season, and it stays open until 30 October, according to Dr Haider Behbehani, acting dean of Kuwait University’s College of Science, at the season’s launch press conference on Sunday 4 October. Kuwait University’s Computer Science Department organises the competition with the Ministry of Education and the Public Authority for Youth and Sport.
Last season drew about 150 teams and more than 600 students.
Four tracks
- VEX Robotics: design, build and program a robot for game-based challenges, in VEX IQ, V5 and VEX U divisions, from primary school to university. Qualifying teams go to the world championship in the United States.
- Aerial Drones: pilot, program and document drone missions; this track also qualifies for international competition.
- Open Innovation: turn a real problem into a workable technology solution through research, a prototype and a presentation, in AI, sustainability and smart solutions.
- Hydrogen Innovation: a new clean-energy track; its rules have not been published yet.
Who can enter
- Teams need at least two members.
- Every team needs an adult supervisor or coach officially affiliated with the participating school or institution.
- Teams must include Kuwaiti nationals, and teams with two or more get priority for KNRC-supported advancement.
- University teams may include students of any nationality; if one qualifies for the world championship, its university arranges the travel.
- A school or organisation may register more than one team while registration is open.
The organisers say these general rules carry over from last season, and the final 2026–2027 guide and each competition’s manual take precedence where they differ.
Dates
- Orientation week and kit distribution: 10–15 October 2026, at the College of Science and partner venues.
- Primary competitions: 12–28 November 2026.
- Nationals and awards: 31 January – 4 February 2027, at the Kuwait University Cultural Centre.
- World championship for qualifiers: April 2027, in the United States.
The organisers describe these dates as provisional until the committee confirms them.
How to register
Registration is on the competition’s site, theknrc.com, under “Register a team”. If you supervise a school team, register before orientation week, when the kits are handed out.
Photo: a student competition robot built from metal parts, not from the Kuwaiti competition. Photograph by Noah Wulf, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Source: the Kuwait National Robotics Competition site, theknrc.com, and Dr Haider Behbehani’s remarks at the 4 October 2026 press conference as reported by Al-Qabas and Al-Jarida.
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