Robotics Teams Shine in the 2025-2026 VEX IQ Challenge: Mix & Match
Top 10 Teams Represent China, Australia, and the United States
The 2025-2026 VEX IQ Challenge season, Mix & Match, is off to an electrifying start, with young robotics teams from around the world competing to claim the top spots. As the season heats up, the RFORCE Index has revealed its latest rankings, showcasing the top 10 teams globally. This months’ leaderboard highlights the incredible talent, innovation, and teamwork driving the next generation of engineers.
Top 10 IQ Teams (September – 2025-2026)
Highlights and Insights
A True Global Competition
The leaderboard represents a global clash of talent, with teams from China, Australia, and the United States evenly sharing the top 10 rankings.
- China – 2 teams, including the #1 ranked team
- Australia – 4 teams, showing a surge of robotics excellence in New South Wales
- USA – 4 teams, with California dominating the American contingent
“The diversity of this year’s top teams speaks to the worldwide growth of STEM education and robotics,” said a spokesperson for RFORCE. “From Shanghai to Sydney to Silicon Valley, these young innovators are proving that collaboration and creativity know no borders.”
Cupertino: A Robotics Hotspot
California continues to establish itself as a powerhouse region, with three of the top 10 teams coming from Cupertino alone.
Organizations like STEM Cupertino and Ustar STEM Lab are playing pivotal roles in shaping future robotics leaders.
Elementary Talent Rising
An impressive 7 out of 10 teams are elementary school competitors, underscoring the rapid development of technical skills in younger students. The remaining three middle school teams are holding strong, showing that competitive robotics spans multiple age groups.
Dominating the Field
The top-ranked team, 杭州二中白马湖教育集团 (Hangzhou No. 2 High School Baimahu Education Group) from Hangzhou, China, currently holds a commanding RFORCE of 87.48, outpacing the second-ranked team by nearly six. Their consistent performance and innovative strategies make them the team to watch this season.
Meanwhile, the middle of the leaderboard is tightly contested, with scores from #5 to #10 separated by less than eight points, ensuring intense competition as the season progresses.
Looking Ahead
With months of competitions still to come, the rankings are far from final. Upcoming regional events and major tournaments will challenge these teams to push the limits of their engineering, programming, and teamwork skills.
The Mix & Match season promises thrilling matches, dramatic upsets, and inspiring moments as teams worldwide chase the dream of becoming VEX IQ world champions.
About VEX IQ Challenge
The VEX IQ Challenge (VIQC) is a globally recognized robotics competition for elementary and middle school students. Designed to inspire young minds, VIQC encourages creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration through hands-on STEM learning. Each year’s unique game challenges students to design, build, and program robots that can compete in dynamic, team-based matches.
More resources:
Check out the full RFORCE team leaderboards, and all other rankings
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