What is robot sports? Seven games that teach engineering, coding and teamwork

Imagine a robot that flies through a course of hoops, or one that follows a black line around a secret track at top speed. That is robot sports. Students design, build and programme machines that compete against the clock and against each other.

MRC Ghana 2027, the national edition of the Minoan RobotSports Competition, brings seven of these sports to Accra on 19–20 February 2027.

How it works

Students design, build and programme their own robots and drones. Every robot must pass a technical inspection before it competes, so teams learn to build for the rules as well as for the win.

Each team has two or three students aged 10 and up, with a coach aged 20 or over.

The seven sports

• Drones: pilot a small indoor drone through hoops, obstacles and landing pads. Precision and order earn the points.
• Drone Soccer 3×3: three caged drone balls play football in a netted arena, with a hoop goal at each end. Alliances are three teams from the same school.
• Marathon: an autonomous robot follows a black line around a secret track. The fastest clean run within three minutes wins.
• Football 3×3: alliances of three remote-controlled robots play five-minute matches, scoring with motorised kicks.
• Shooting: build a handheld, sensor-triggered foam-dart launcher and aim at three targets from two distances.
• Archery: an autonomous robot bow adjusts its own aim and fires a blunt-tipped arrow at a ten-ring target from four distances.
• Exhibition: show an original robotics or engineering project. Detailed 2027 rules are still being published by H.E.R.O.

What students learn

• Engineering: a machine has to work on the day, not just on paper.
• Coding: sensors and control decide whether a robot follows a line or aims true.
• Maths: distances, angles and timing all matter.
• Teamwork: teams plan, test, repair and explain their work, often as alliances.

A national stage with an international pathway

Ghana took part in the 2025 MRC Global Olympiad in Crete. MRC Ghana 2027 is the national competition, and the next international final is the MRC Global Olympiad 2027 in Chania, 23–26 April 2027. Progression depends on eligibility, national selection and confirmed places.

Who can take part, and how to register

Students aged 10 and up can compete in teams of two or three, with a coach aged 20 or over. Ages are counted on 19 February 2027, the first day of the competition.

Register at mrcghana.com/register by 15 January 2027. Registration is an expression of interest, not a confirmed entry. The MakersPlace reviews each entry against the official H.E.R.O. rules and contacts the applicant.

The best way to understand robot sports is to see a robot run a course. Teams that register early have more time to prepare, and questions can be sent by WhatsApp to +233 556 310 034.