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The Future of STEM Competition Starts Here: Introducing RECF Robotics

June 2, 2026
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The Robotics Education & Competition Foundation is proud to announce RECF Robotics, our official robotics competition for the 2026–2027 season. The robots, game elements, robot parts, and the countless hours your teams have invested all remain fully usable in RECF Robotics.

This is our most ambitious program yet: a broader competition ecosystem with new 3D-printing pathways, updated event management software, and more ways for your teams to compete. And we built it on a simple commitment to you — everything your students have already created carries forward. 

➥ Community FAQ

You can expect exactly what you’ve come to rely on from RECF: the same caliber of events, the same competitive intensity, and it will all culminate in St. Louis, Missouri, for the 2027 RECF STEM World Championship! 

Official game details and season registration is expected to open on June 10. We can’t wait to share more information with you.

The Robotics Education and Competition Foundation (RECF) is authorized to organize, promote, approve, and manage RECF Robotics competitions. Any competition organized, promoted, or managed by RECF will qualify teams for the 2027 RECF STEM World Championship.

*Robotics Education and Competition Foundation, Inc. (RECF) is not authorized to organize, promote, approve, or manage VEX Robotics competitions. Any competition organized, promoted, or managed by RECF that involves VEX products is not sanctioned by VEX Robotics, Inc. and will not qualify teams for the 2026-2027 VEX Robotics World Championship.

2025-2026 Signature Event Updates

  1. An Event Partner wanting to apply to host a Signature Event must have hosted events for at least 2 seasons prior to applying. 
  2. Signature Events must use the officially branded award banners for the Excellence Award and Tournament/Teamwork Champions Award.
  3. When hanging field skirts the VEX Robotics logo/brand name can not be covered up on the competition fields.
  4. VEX V5 Robotics Competition Signature Events may have regional capacity and max per organization restrictions lifted 8 weeks before the event if the event is not full (similar to the process already in place for VEX IQ Robotics Competition Signature Events).
  5. Minimum pit size reduced to 8’x 8’ instead of 10’x10’.
  6. Beginning in the 2025-2026 season, the REC Foundation will collect $10 instead of $5 per team registration on all Signature Events. This is to help offset travel costs for REC Foundation staff to support these larger events.

2025-2026 Signature Event Application Reminders

  1. Existing Signature Events only need to complete the Final Application (due by March 31, 2025)
  2. New Signature Event concepts will need to complete the Initial Proposal by January 31, 2025 and if approved, complete the Final Application by March 31, 2025.
Crowd watches the Signature Event in Minnesota's Mall of America
VEX Robotics World Championship logo