Organization14 June 20262 min read

National coordinators confirm qualification pathways

Countries with established AI or informatics communities selected finalists through national rounds, while direct applications supported countries still building a local pathway.

Two routes into the final

Each country could nominate finalists through a national qualification round. Students from countries without an established AI competition could apply directly with a programming and ML portfolio.

The format kept the regional final individual, even when students came through national organizers or school preparation groups.

A regional AI community

Organizers will publish a coordinator pack after the 2026 edition so schools and student communities can prepare local selection rounds for the next cycle.