The key facts

  • Uzbekistan's team won all 16 contests and scored 637 points — a competition record; representatives of about 190 countries took part in the tournament.
  • The team received three awards: the First Global Grand Challenge Award, the Skills Challenge, and gold medals in an alliance with Moldova, Venezuela, and El Salvador.
  • On October 13, by presidential decree, head coach Ziyodulla Butakhonov (the 'Sodik Hizmatlari Uchun' medal) and 13 team members with 'Kelajak Bunyodkori' medals were honored.

Victory at the Competition in Incheon

Uzbekistan's robotics team became champion of the international First Global Challenge 2026 competition, held from October 7 to 10 in Incheon, South Korea. Representatives of about 190 countries took part in the tournament. This year's theme was dedicated to preventing wildfires and restoring affected areas. According to the Ministry of Digital Technologies, the Uzbek engineers won all 16 contests and took first place in the team standings with 637 points, setting a competition record. In the overall standings, Uzbekistan outperformed Mexico and China.

Awards Won

The team received three awards. The First Global Grand Challenge Award is given to teams with the highest total score for the entire competition: China's team took 'silver,' Mexico's took 'bronze.' The Skills Challenge award is presented to teams with the highest number of points in an individual contest — the robot's solo performance in the robotics game Igniting Innovation; Turkmenistan took second place, Spain third. In addition, the Uzbek team, as part of an international alliance with the teams of Moldova, Venezuela, and El Salvador, received gold medals of the final (First Global Winning Alliance Award).

Awards by Presidential Decree

On October 13, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree awarding the winners and their coaches. Team head coach Ziyodulla Butakhonov was awarded the 'Sodik Hizmatlari Uchun' medal. The 'Kelajak Bunyodkori' medals were given to team captain Ibrokhim Salomov, technical coach Abdullokh Abdujabborov, team members Shokhrukhbek Akbarov, Akbarshokh Kosimov, Ayubkhon Mirakhmedov, Umurbek Pardayev, Shukrullo Sodikov, Makhkambek Teshabayev, Jasurbek Tozhikuziyev, Bakhodir Urmanov, and Khondamir Urmanov, as well as team managers Safina Teshabayeva and Khasankhon Yusupkhuzhayev. At the ceremony in Tashkent, First Deputy Prime Minister — Minister of Preschool and School Education Erkinjon Turdimov said: 'I believe that the technologies you have created will in the future serve the development of production, the saving of water and energy, and the easing of people's lives.' The team was solemnly welcomed in Tashkent on October 12.

About the Competition and Upcoming Contests

The First Global Challenge has been held since 2017 in an Olympic style: participants jointly complete game tasks dedicated to solving global problems of humanity and engineering challenges. The next competition will take place in 2027 in Madrid.