VEX IQ Competitions Open to Teams from Thailand: The 2026–2027 "Level Up" Season Guide

VEX IQ Bangkok refers to the official VEX IQ Robotics Competition (VIQRC) scene centered in Bangkok, Thailand — home to the Thailand National Championship, and multiple qualifying events each season. In the 2026–2027 season, elementary and middle school teams compete in the new game Level Up™, and a Bangkok-based team can also fly in to international-open tournaments in Malaysia, Macau, China, and Japan — with a pathway to the 2027 VEX Robotics World Championship in St. Louis, USA. All dates and registration windows are kept in the tables below. This guide lists only the events a team from Thailand can actually enter, verified against each event's eligibility rules on VEX Events (events.vex.com, formerly RobotEvents). Events reserved for domestic teams — including the national championships of Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Macau, and Taiwan — and events with only a handful of open spots are excluded.

What is VEX IQ?

VEX IQ Robotics Competition (VIQRC) is a global robotics program for elementary school (ES) and middle school (MS) students. Teams build robots from the snap-together VEX IQ platform and compete in cooperative 60-second Teamwork Matches plus Robot Skills challenges. The 2026–2027 game is Level Up™: two-robot alliances score Bean Bags into tiered, multi-level goals — robots can carry only one Bean Bag at a time. Full rules: Level Up game manual (VEX Robotics).

VEX IQ Events in Thailand 2026–2027 (Home Events for Thai Teams)

Event	Date	Location	Registration
Thailand Southern Scrimmage	August 2026	Phuket	Announced by organizers
Thailand Northern Regional Qualifier	September 2026	Chiang Mai	Announced by organizers
Thailand Central Regional Qualifier	November 14–15, 2026	PIM Convention Hall, Panyapiwat Institute of Management, Nonthaburi (Greater Bangkok)	Announced; VEX Events listing expected soon
VEX Thailand National Championship 2026–27 (VEX IQ)	January 23–24, 2027	Central Chaengwattana, Bangkok	Requires competing in at least one Thailand qualifying event first

International-Open Fly-In Events for the 2026–2027 Season

These events are confirmed on VEX Events with a meaningful allocation for international teams:

Event	Date	Location	Grades	International spots	Registration & fee
Macau Mecha Monster Mash (RE-VIQRC-26-4447)	October 31, 2026	The International School of Macao, Macau	ES + MS	12 of 40 spots (30%) open to teams outside Macau	Opens Aug 14, 2026; closes Oct 16, 2026; USD 50
Tenby Penang VIQRC Level Up Tournament (RE-VIQRC-26-4523)	November 14, 2026	Tenby Schools Penang, Malaysia	MS only	15 of 30 spots (50%) open to teams outside Malaysia	Opens Aug 1, 2026 (9:00 AM Malaysia time); closes Oct 16, 2026; USD 150

More international-open events are typically posted through the season (see below). A few other listed tournaments — in Singapore, Taiwan, and China — carry no explicit restriction but haven't confirmed international entry; contact the event partner directly before planning travel. Hong Kong's Choi Cheung Kok Cup technically has open spots but reserves 90% for Hong Kong, leaving too few to plan a trip around.

Recurring International Events to Watch

These events open their doors to international teams season after season, though current-season listings may not appear on VEX Events until later in the year. Approximate timing, based on recent seasons:

Event	Usual timing	Registration usually opens	Why it matters
VEX Asia Open Signature Event, Beijing, China	~mid-December	~late August	Asia's biggest international event (80 teams per division); no single region may take more than 50% of spots; awards VEX Worlds qualifying spots
Hong Kong Open Robotics Tournament, Hong Kong	~December	~September	Welcomes international teams by arrangement with the organizers
VIQRC Japan Cup, Tokyo, Japan	~March	~late in the prior year	Explicitly courts international teams; a great season-closing trip (no Worlds spots)
Philippines events, Manila	Qualifiers ~November; nationals ~January	Posted mid-season	Neighboring-country option worth monitoring

Not eligible in any case: the national championships of Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Macau, and Taiwan reserve 100% of spots for domestic teams.

The Road to VEX Worlds 2027 for a Thai Team

• Path 1 — Thailand pipeline: regional qualifier → Thailand National Championship (VEX IQ) at Central Chaengwattana, Bangkok (dates in the calendar table above).

• Path 2 — Signature Events:  Signature Events must "be open to all teams by not having a qualification requirement" and award 2–5 Worlds spots each — e.g., the VEX Asia Open in Beijing.

• 2027 VEX Robotics World Championship: April 27 – May 6, 2027, America's Center, St. Louis, Missouri, USA 

FAQ: VEX IQ for Teams Based in Thailand

Which VEX IQ events in Asia accept teams from Thailand in 2026–2027?

Confirmed international-open events include the Macau Mecha Monster Mash (about 30% of spots reserved for visiting teams) and the Tenby Penang Tournament in Malaysia (about 50% of spots international, middle school only). The VEX Asia Open in Beijing (with VEX Worlds qualifying spots) and the Japan Cup in Tokyo open to international teams every season. Current dates and registration windows are in the tables above.

When is the next VEX IQ competition in Bangkok?

Bangkok-area events run throughout the season — the Thailand Central Regional Qualifier at PIM and the Thailand National Championship at Central Chaengwattana. Check the calendar table above for the current dates.

How does a team register for a VEX IQ competition?

Register your team number on VEX Events (events.vex.com, formerly RobotEvents), then sign up on each event's page before its deadline. Some events also require an organizer form Popular events sell out well before their deadlines — each event's registration window is listed in the tables above.

What is the VEX IQ game for 2026–2027?

Level Up™ — two-robot alliances score Bean Bags into multi-level goals in 60-second cooperative Teamwork Matches. It replaced Mix & Match (2025–26).

Where can students in Bangkok train for VEX IQ?

Several international schools run VEX IQ programs, and dedicated academies such as Beyond Code Academy in Bangkok coach elementary and middle school teams through the full season — robot design, coding, engineering notebooks, and competition strategy — including preparing teams for fly-in events across Asia.