ITR International Tournament of Robots
ITR NATIONAL QUALIFIER
Now In Your Country
Welcome to the International Tournament of Robots (ITR), a global celebration of innovation, creativity, and education. As an international extension of the TJR – Torneio Juvenil de Robótica, the ITR serves as a platform where young minds from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds come together to showcase their talents in robotics and technology.
ITR Competition Structure
The International Tournament of Robots (ITR) is organized as a global competition ecosystem designed to connect local communities, national championships, and international events through a unified pathway of participation and achievement.
This structure allows students and teams from different countries to begin competing close to home while progressing toward national and international recognition.
The ITR Pathway
ITR Local Events → ITR National Qualifiers → ITR Grand Slam
ITR Local Events
ITR Local Events are the foundation of the ITR ecosystem. They are organized within provinces, states, regions, metropolitan areas, or other territorial divisions, making participation accessible to schools, clubs, universities, and educational institutions across each country.
Local events follow a standardized international naming convention:
ITR [Territory] [Year] – [Host City]
Examples:
ITR MISIONES 2026 – Posadas
ITR MISIONES 2026 – Candelaria
ITR BUENOS AIRES 2026 – Hurlingham
ITR BUENOS AIRES 2026 – Buenos Aires
ITR SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO 2026 – Loreto
Multiple local events may be held within the same territory during a competition season. These events provide opportunities for teams to gain experience, showcase their projects, and earn recognition within their regional robotics community.
ITR National Qualifiers
ITR National Qualifiers represent the highest level of competition within each participating country.
These tournaments function as official national finals, bringing together outstanding teams from local and regional events to compete for national titles and qualification opportunities for international events.
Examples include:
ITR National Qualifier – Argentina
ITR National Qualifier – Brazil = ANNUAL FINAL TJR (example RESULTADOS ROBÓTICA BRASIL 2025 in https://torneiojrobotica.org/RESULTADOS-ROB%C3%93TICA-BRASIL-2025/)
ITR National Qualifier – Chile
ITR National Qualifier – Spain
Simplified Designation
Coutries may also adopt the simplified designation
Examples:
Argentina ITR Qualifier
Brazil ITR Qualifier = ANNUAL FINAL TJR (example RESULTADOS ROBÓTICA BRASIL 2025 in https://torneiojrobotica.org/RESULTADOS-ROB%C3%93TICA-BRASIL-2025/)
Chile ITR Qualifier
Spain ITR Qualifier
Regardless of the naming format, all National Qualifiers serve the same purpose: identifying and recognizing the teams that will represent their country on the international stage.
ITR Grand Slam
The ITR Grand Slam is the premier international event of the International Tournament of Robots.
It brings together top-performing teams from National Qualifiers and invited international delegations in a celebration of robotics, innovation, engineering, creativity, and educational excellence.
The Grand Slam provides participants with the opportunity to:
Compete in an international environment;
Exchange experiences with teams from different countries and cultures;
Showcase innovative technological solutions;
Develop collaboration, leadership, and problem-solving skills;
Build lasting connections within the global robotics community.
A Global Robotics Network
The International Tournament of Robots was created to promote educational robotics as a tool for learning, creativity, and international cooperation.
By connecting Local Events, National Qualifiers, and the ITR Grand Slam, the tournament establishes a sustainable global network where students can grow from local competitors to international innovators.
Whether participating in a local event, competing for a national title, or representing their country at the Grand Slam, every team becomes part of a worldwide community dedicated to science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM).
ITR NATIONAL QUALIFIER
ITR NATIONAL QUALIFIER
What Makes Us Unique
Educational Excellence: The ITR is more than a competition—it’s an educational journey designed to inspire students to think critically, work collaboratively, and innovate boldly.
Global Community: With participants from all over the world, the ITR fosters cultural exchange and builds bridges between future leaders in robotics.
Challenging and Diverse Events: Our competitions feature a variety of challenges, including robot dance, autonomous car racing, high-risk rescue missions, and the exciting Sumo and Tug of War events, ensuring something for every skill and interest level.
World-Class Locations: Our host cities are carefully chosen for their combination of educational opportunities, cultural significance, and logistical accessibility.
Our Mission
The ITR is committed to cultivating the next generation of innovators by providing a stage for students to test their skills, share ideas, and inspire one another. By promoting creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving, we aim to build a community that is ready to tackle the challenges of the future.
Join us as we continue to expand the horizons of robotics education and competition. Whether you’re a student, educator, or enthusiast, the ITR is your gateway to the future of technology.
Be part of the journey. Be part of the future. Be part of the ITR.
Our History ITR - International Tournament of Robots
The journey of the ITR – International Tournament of Robots began in 2015, when Professor César Augusto Rangel Bastos coordinated the first national final of the TJR – Torneio Juvenil de Robótica (Youth Robotics Tournament). The event took place at Colégio Santo Inácio in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. That same year, the TJR became a gateway for Brazilian teams to qualify for the ITR, marking its first official collaboration with the international tournament. The inaugural ITR was held on August 27, 2016, at the Mackenzie Presbyterian University in São Paulo.
In 2016, the TJR expanded to every region in Brazil, becoming the second-largest free robotics event in Latin America. Its national final featured a remarkable 299 teams.
The years 2017 and 2019 were milestones for the TJR and ITR, as both events benefited from the support of the Government of Maranhão State, further enhancing their impact.
In 2019, the groundwork was laid for the creation of the Instituto TJR Torneio Juvenil de Robótica. By 2020, the RoboLeague – International League of Robots was launched, providing a 24/7 online platform for evaluating and monitoring robotics projects and fostering continuous development. This platform ushered in a new era for robotics and computing education, with real-world robotic applications gaining prominence. By the end of 2020, the TJR had been included in official Brazilian Ministry of Education (MEC) publications, recognized as a criterion for university admissions through "Olympic quotas."
July 2021 marked the first international event open to Latin American teams, hosted online via RoboLeague. The Gran Torneo de Robots (TORNEO) welcomed teams from Guatemala, Honduras, Chile, and Brazil, solidifying the tournament's international appeal. That year, RoboLeague surpassed 500 registered teams, benefiting over 2,000 students and teachers with its educational platform.
From December 11 to 15, 2021, the Robótica Brasil 2021 event brought together the TJR Annual Final, the ITR International Tournament of Robots, and the ISYTECH – International Symposium on Technology and Curriculum Themes. Featuring speakers from Europe, America, and Africa, the event attracted over 150 teams and became the largest in-person robotics event in Brazil for 2021, ranking among the world’s most significant events that year.
The TJR’s influence inspired numerous robotics competitions, including an event at the Universidade Rural de Pernambuco on June 7, 2023.
In 2024, the TJR’s Tug of War challenge was adopted by the FIRA RoboWorld Cup for its global Youth League. The same year also saw the debut of the International Dancing Robots Festival, born from the success of the first Robot Dance Festival.
Additionally, 2024 marked the first international TJR event outside Brazil – the ITR Chile 2024 in Santiago. At this event, the upcoming ITR - Grand Slam host cities for 2025 and 2026 were announced: Cancún, Mexico, Santiago, Chile, São Paulo, Brazil and Barcelona, Spain, respectively.