Team Cambodia finished 26th out of 185 countries at the 2026 FIRST Global Challenge, held in Incheon, Republic of Korea, from October 7-10. The placement secured third among participating ASEAN nations, following Vietnam and Laos.
The finish followed a strong recovery. After four matches, the team ranked 95th before climbing 69 places over the next seven matches to finish in the global top 30.
Team Cambodia in action at the 2026 FIRST Global Challenge venue in Incheon, Republic of Korea, on October 7-10. Supplied
Team Cambodia unites secondary students from multiple schools across Phnom Penh. Members design robots, program autonomous movements, and mentor newer teammates under the motto “Learn-Change-Lead”. The 2026 theme, Igniting Innovation, focused on wildfire prevention, mitigation, and recovery, addressing a seasonal challenge in Cambodia. The FIRST Global Challenge brings together youth from over 190 countries in multinational alliances that shift each match.
The team opened ranking 7th after its first match, dropped to 95th by Match 4, and rebounded to 38th by Match 7, 28th by Match 10, and 26th following the final qualification round. Ten ASEAN nations participated, with Singapore absent. Cambodia finished behind Laos (25th) and ahead of Indonesia (41st), Brunei, Myanmar, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste, while Vietnam led the region at 15th.
The performance builds upon three years of volunteer-led selection and training. Preparation time increased by 49 percent since 2024, reaching 200 students on the outskirts of Phnom Penh without prior STEM or robotics exposure. The mentor pool nearly doubled with former participants returning as coaches, and partner organisations tripled from two to six.
FIRST Global announced Madrid, Spain, as the host for the 2027 Challenge. Selection and training for the next Team Cambodia will use the expanded mentor network and alumni support.
