One team's season
Follow one school team from registering to the final. The team and its scores are sample data.
Xplore League · 2027 season
Virtual Xplore League
The online robotics competition from Xplore League, formerly the Ghana Robotics Competition. Program a robot in the Xplore IDE, solve real-world missions in a 3D simulator, and climb the leaderboard from wherever you are.
- 18 January – 11 July 2027
- Online, no robot kit needed
- Schools and teams from any country
What it is
Virtual Xplore League is the online competition of Xplore League. It has the same three leagues and the same team behind it as the in-person competition, and it runs in the Xplore IDE, so a school can take part from anywhere.
A robot on screen
Learners program a robot in blocks and run it through missions in a 3D simulator.
A real competition
Runs are marked by the League. Learners are ranked by league, on school, regional, national and global boards.
Virtual, in person, or both
Virtual teams are separate from in-person teams. A school can enter either one, or both.
See it in action
The Xplore IDE
Blocks and code, the 3D simulator and the League, in one minute.
The missions
Each mission is a set of levels that builds one skill. Missions are released through the season. Press play to see what your learners will meet.
Accra Grid Recovery
10 levelsPut a city block back on the grid, with a kit that grows with the job.
Xplore Harbour
10 levelsTimber boardwalks over the water: ramps, sliding bridges and a timed causeway.
Follow the Line
10 levelsRead the line with five infrared sensors, up to deliveries, a signal and a whole circuit.
Xplore Motion Trails
20 levelsNo sensors at all: speed and time, from one straight move to a whole route.
Xplore Ringworks
10 levelsRing mazes on the ultrasonic sensor, from planning a sweep to riding between moving blocks.
Duel arenas
Two robots, two minutes, five ways to win. Each arena has a Practice, a Standard and an Advanced level.
Core Strike
3 levelsFind the core with the camera, aim ahead of it and launch.
Goal Rush
3 levelsSearch, intercept, shoot, and get back to defend your own goal.
Grid Control
3 levelsDeliver the right colour to hold a district, and take back the ones you lose.
Balance Blitz
3 levelsKeep a tilting deck level and hit the targets as they light up.
Ricochet Rally
3 levelsRead the rebound, then choose: straight in, or off the side wall for more.
More worlds
Maze Challenges
8 levelsFind the way through with the ultrasonic sensor.
Open for practice
Line Following
9 levelsFollow a printed line with two colour sensors.
Open for practice
Drawing and Colour
17 levelsShapes and patterns, with the gyro measuring every turn.
Open for practice
Sunrise Village
6 levelsSix missions in a village after the rain, on the ultrasonic sensor.
Coral Archipelago
6 levelsCross an island chain on two colour sensors.
Aurora Skylands
6 levelsFloating platforms at dusk, on three colour sensors.
Frostline Station
6 levelsA polar research station, read with the colour sensor.
Factory Missions
10 levelsTen jobs on the shop floor with colour and ultrasonic sensors.
Rooftop Bridge Run
10 levelsHold a heading over the floodwater with the gyro.
Inside the competition
Build in blocks, watch it in 3D
Learners snap blocks together and test their program on a robot in the simulator straight away.
Every level says how it scores
The briefing sets out the steps, the points, the rules and the star targets before a learner starts.
Missions that teach one sensor at a time
Each mission opens level by level, from a first try to a real challenge.
Learners get ready together
Each learner chooses the name shown on the leaderboard, and a parent's consent is recorded before they compete.
The 2027 stages
From first practice to the final, 18 January to 11 July 2027.
Stage 1
Scores recorded, not countedPractice
18 January – 20 February 2027
This is the introductory stage of Xplore League, designed to give all registered participants an opportunity to explore the competition platform, understand the game environment, and become familiar with the available missions and challenges. Participants can freely practice, develop their programming skills, test different strategies, and improve their robot's performance. Although marks and scores will be recorded to help participants monitor their progress, results from this stage will not count toward qualification, elimination, or rankings in subsequent competitive stages. The focus is on learning, experimentation, and preparation for the official competition.
Stage 2
Scores count toward qualificationQualifiers
22 February – 20 March 2027
This stage marks the official beginning of the competitive phase of Xplore League. Participants will apply the knowledge and skills developed during the practice stage to complete designated robotics missions and challenges. Performance will be assessed using the competition's scoring system, considering factors such as successful task completion, accuracy, efficiency, and other criteria specified in the official game rules. Scores achieved during this stage will contribute to the official competition rankings and determine which participants qualify for the knockout stage. Participants are expected to complete their challenges within the stipulated period and comply with all competition rules and submission requirements.
Stage 3, part 1
Qualified participants onlyKnockout round
29 March – 10 April 2027
Qualified participants from the second stage will advance to the knockout round, where they will compete in more demanding robotics challenges designed to test their programming abilities, problem-solving skills, and strategic thinking. Participants will be required to achieve the best possible results within the established competition conditions. Performance will determine which participants advance to the next phase, while those who do not meet the qualification requirements will be eliminated. Only participants who successfully qualify through this stage will proceed to the code submission phase. The exact qualification criteria and number of advancing participants will be communicated in the official competition guidelines.
Stage 3, part 2
Technical verificationCode submission
7 June – 16 June 2027
Participants who successfully advance from the knockout round will be required to submit their final robot programming code or project files through the designated submission platform within the specified deadline. Submitted programs will undergo technical verification to assess compliance with competition rules, authenticity, and functionality. Organizers may review the submitted code and request clarification where necessary. Only valid submissions that meet the published technical and competition requirements will be eligible to proceed to the playoffs and final round. Submission formats, verification procedures, and deadlines will be clearly communicated in advance.
Stage 3, part 3
Champions decidedPlayoffs and final
18 June – 11 July 2027
This is the final phase of Xplore League, bringing together the top-performing participants who successfully completed the previous stages and passed the code verification process. Finalists will compete in advanced robotics missions and head-to-head or ranking-based playoff challenges, according to the official competition format. The final challenges will test technical proficiency, strategic decision-making, consistency, and the ability to solve complex robotics problems. Final rankings and championship winners will be determined using the officially published scoring and judging criteria. The competition will conclude with the announcement and recognition of the top-performing participants and schools.
Who can take part
Tech League
Primary and junior secondary
Stars League
Senior secondary
Engineers League
University and tertiary
How to register
A coach or teacher registers the school on the portal. Learners then sign in to the Xplore IDE.
- 1
Create a coach account
Go to the Xplore League portal and sign up with your name, email, phone number and a password. Then sign in. - 2
Add your school
On My School, add your school: its country, level, name, location and contact details. - 3
Enter your League code
Still on My School, type your League code into the Virtual League card and press Enter the League. To get a League code, email [email protected]. - 4
Make your virtual teams
Open Virtual Teams and create up to three teams, each in one league: Tech, Stars or Engineers. Add as many learners as you like, and record that a parent's consent is on file. - 5
Give each learner their login
Every learner gets one login that looks like ABC-FJHK-GL2HV. Copy or print the logins from the same page. - 6
Learners sign in to the Xplore IDE
Open the Xplore IDE in a browser, or download it for Windows or Mac (Apple chip or Intel). Choose Challenges, type the login into the code box, and choose a name for the leaderboard.
One box, one login
Learners type their login here. Coaches do everything else on the portal.
Create a coach accountAlready have one? Sign in
Questions
Do we need a robot?
No. Every mission runs in the simulator inside the Xplore IDE, so all you need is a computer or an Android device and an internet connection when you submit a run.
Can schools outside Ghana take part?
Yes. Choose your country when you add your school on the portal. Your learners are ranked in their own country, and on the world board if you choose.
Is this the Ghana Robotics Competition?
Xplore League is the new name of the Ghana Robotics Competition (GRC): the same competition and the same team, on a bigger stage. Virtual Xplore League is its online competition.
We already have a coach account. Do we start again?
No. Sign in with the account you have and start at step 3. Virtual teams are separate from in-person teams, so a school can enter the virtual league, the in-person competition, or both.
How many teams and learners can a school enter?
Up to three virtual teams per school, each with as many learners as you like.
How many attempts does a learner get?
As many as they want. The best score stands and every attempt is counted. If two learners have the same score, the one with fewer attempts ranks higher.
Teams outside Ghana can read more on our international page.