At Tehran's Grand Mosalla, the annual RoboCup event transformed a space usually reserved for prayers into a vibrant hub of innovation, as Iranian girls showcased their robotics skills.
Participants, some as young as 10, competed in a football match featuring robots they designed and programmed themselves, highlighting the potential of young female engineers in a country facing numerous challenges.
A Platform for Young Innovators
My ambition is to study robotics at university and to take part in international competitions.
Elina Rezvanian, 15, participant
- Event held on September 17, 2026
- Participants included 2,000 competitors across 400 teams
- Young girls competed against boys in a country with gender-segregated education
The backdrop of this event is significant, especially considering the recent turmoil in Iran, including the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei earlier this year. The political landscape has placed additional barriers on the country's technological progress.
Despite these obstacles, the RoboCup serves as a beacon of hope for aspiring female engineers. Elina Rezvanian and her team dedicated two years to robot design, showcasing their coding skills in a match that demanded complete autonomy from the machines.
Refereed by a fellow student, the competition demonstrated not only technical prowess but also the growing encouragement for girls to enter STEM fields.
In an effort to combat a significant brain drain, Iran trains over 200,000 engineers annually and prioritizes investment in robotics and artificial intelligence. Interschool competitions like RoboCup aim to nurture this future talent.
With 20 editions now behind it, RoboCup remains a vital platform for young innovators. Participants like Avina Maleki express hope for greater female representation in technology, aiming to thrive in a field traditionally dominated by males.