Combat robots in the Czech Republic: where they are built, fought and how to join
Where combat robots happen in the Czech Republic: the Czech Combat Robot League, the 2026 calendar, weight classes, entry fees and how to enter your first event.
Short answer: combat robots in the Czech Republic revolve around the Czech Combat Robot League (CCRL), which ran six rounds in 2026 – Pilsen, Karlovy Vary, Prague, Pilsen, České Budějovice and Brno. Almost everything is antweight (150 g), entry is free or CZK 50, and most events sit inside a public Maker Faire festival, so you can also just come and watch. Getting to your first fight takes weeks, not years.
What the Czech scene looks like
Combat robotics is still young here. There is no professional league and no TV coverage – but there is a short path from “I want to try this” to standing next to the arena with your own machine for the price of a decent board game.
The scene rests on three things:
- Tournaments inside public events. The arena is built at festivals such as Maker Faire, where thousands of visitors walk past it in a day.
- A community that shares. Most of the knowledge is passed around the pits, not in manuals. Lending a battery or a motor to your next opponent is normal here.
- Cheap parts. An antweight can be entirely 3D printed and its electronics fit in your palm.
The centre of gravity is Pilsen, where FLS Battlebots is based and where the arena is built, but the league deliberately travels across the country.
The 2026 league season
Each round is a standalone event – you register for the ones you want, not for the whole season.
| Round | Date | Venue | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| vol. 1 | 15 Feb 2026 | TechTower Pilsen | CZK 50 |
| vol. 2 | 21 Mar 2026 | Hotel Thermal, Karlovy Vary | free |
| vol. 3 | 9–10 May 2026 | Výstaviště Prague | free |
| vol. 4 | 28 Jun 2026 | TechTower Pilsen | CZK 50 |
| vol. 5 | 3 Oct 2026 | Výstaviště České Budějovice | free |
| vol. 6 | 17–18 Oct 2026 | Brno | free |
All rounds run antweight and award prizes to the winners. Registration is per team (up to 5 members and 5 robots) through the event page in the Tournaments section.
Weight classes used here
| Class | Weight | Size | Where you meet it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antweight | 150 g (225 g non-rolling drive, 300 g walkers) | fits a 15 × 15 cm square | every league round, workshops |
| Beetleweight | 1.5 kg | must fit through the arena door | selected events, e.g. Tetragon in Brno |
| Featherweight and above | 13.6 kg and more | large arenas | not run in Czechia yet |
For a first robot the answer is simple: antweight. Cheaper, faster to repair, and it runs everywhere. The full class overview is on the Weight category page.
The arena you will fight in
The FLS Battlebots arena travels to every event, so you always know what you are building for: a 1.2 × 1 m floor, aluminium profiles with 6 mm polycarbonate panels, doors with steel latches on both short sides and a 20 × 20 cm pit with a collection box. The pit changes tactics – a wedge that pushes an opponent to the edge often beats a fast spinner.
Four steps to your first fight
- Watch one event. A single day next to the arena teaches you more than a month of reading.
- Build a 150 g robot. Start with a wedge or a pusher – no active weapon means lighter, cheaper and more reliable. See How to build a combat robot.
- Read the rules, especially the safety part: failsafe, an externally accessible power switch, a physical weapon lock and 24 V maximum. See antweight rules.
- Register your team and go. What to pack is in Your first combat robot tournament: a checklist.
Czechia and the neighbours
Czech builders regularly travel to German events – Mad Metal Machines (Dortmund, Bochum, Hannover), Hack & Make in Nuremberg and Circuit Smash in Chemnitz. The rules are close enough that a robot built for CCRL can be used there as well. We keep the combined list, including foreign events, on the All tournaments page.
Where to ask
The fastest answers come from the community: the FLS Battlebots Discord for technical questions, the newsletter for tournament dates and the contact form for workshops and school events. Parts ship across the Czech Republic and the EU – see Shipping and payment for rates.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an official combat robot league in the Czech Republic?
Yes – the Czech Combat Robot League (CCRL), organised by FLS Battlebots. It had six rounds in 2026. The league's rules for antweight and beetleweight are public and are also used by other organisers in the country.
Can foreign teams enter Czech tournaments?
Yes, and German and Austrian teams do come. The rules are close to what you know from German events such as Mad Metal Machines, entry is usually free and registration goes through the event page in the Tournaments section.
Which weight class should I build for?
Antweight. It is cheap, fits in hand luggage, prints on a normal 3D printer and runs at every league round. A full comparison is in Antweight vs beetleweight.
Where can I watch combat robots live in Czechia?
At Maker Faire festivals – our arena has travelled to Prague, České Budějovice, Karlovy Vary and Brno – and at our own tournaments in Pilsen. Dates are on the Tournaments page, the full list including foreign events on All tournaments.
How much does a first robot cost?
A few thousand crowns (roughly €100–200) depending on what you already own; the transmitter and charger are one-off purchases. The itemised budget is in How much does it cost to build a combat robot.
Do I need a team to compete?
No, you can come alone, but two people are practical: one drives, the other repairs and charges between fights. A team may have up to five members and five robots, and robots from the same team normally do not fight each other.
