The International Olympiad in Informatics will be held in Uzbekistan for the first time.

From August 9 to 16, 2026, Tashkent will host the 38th International Olympiad in Informatics, IOI 2026 — the world’s oldest competition for young programmers, held annually since 1989.

The International Olympiad in Informatics, IOI, is the largest and most prestigious global competition in competitive programming for school students, annually bringing together top participants from more than 90 countries. The Ministry of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan is the organizer of the Olympiad.

Uzbekistan was awarded the right to host the Olympiad by the IOI General Assembly as early as 2023. Two years later, at the closing ceremony of the 2025 Olympiad in Bolivia, the IOI flag was ceremonially handed over, officially confirming Tashkent’s status as the host city of the next Olympiad. Symbolically, this occurred after the national team’s best performance in history: for the first time, the team won silver and bronze medals.

A total of 386 school students from more than 97 countries, including the United States, China, Germany, Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Japan, and the United Kingdom, have registered to participate in IOI 2026. Including accompanying delegations, distinguished guests, and members of international committees, the total number of participants will exceed 900 people. The eight-day program includes five-hour algorithmic problem-solving rounds, seminars, workshops, and excursions to Tashkent’s landmarks.

The IOI committee decided to hold the Olympiad in Tashkent following a review of Uzbekistan’s official bid. The bid presented measures of state support for the industry, modern infrastructure, and systematic work in preparing young IT specialists. Uzbekistan’s selection as the host country was recognized as an acknowledgment of the consistent development of the IT sector and digital education in the country.

During the preparation phase, organizers studied the experience of hosting the Olympiad in Bolivia, Hungary, and Egypt and adapted best practices to local conditions. In 2027, the event will be hosted by Germany.

Sherzod Shermatov, Minister of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan

We view IOI 2026 not as a one-time reputational event, but as part of the “Digital Uzbekistan — 2030” strategy. The earlier a young talent encounters the highest global standards, the faster a new generation of specialists capable of competing in the global market will emerge.

In August, Tashkent will become the place where 386 of the planet’s best young minds will see Uzbekistan as we see it — an open, ambitious, and growing technological country.

As the host country, Uzbekistan will present two teams to the Olympiad, comprising eight participants who passed the national selection. The first team includes Jahongirshoh Avazxonov, Timur Kadirbergenov, Jakhonali Haydaraliev, and Ulugbek Rakhmatullaev; the second team includes Sardor Salimov, Humoyun Abduraupov, Ulugbek Kamalov, and Ravshan Rakhmidinov. The participants represent the Namangan and Navoi regions, the Republic of Karakalpakstan, and Tashkent, as well as the Presidential Schools, Muhammad al-Khwarizmi School, Westminster Lyceum, and TUIT Lyceum.

Preparation for the national team began in November 2025 and included nine training camps, including international camps in Romania and Kazakhstan. The preparation program also included psychological support for the team led by a psychologist with 18 years of experience.

For Uzbekistan, hosting IOI 2026 is part of the “Digital Uzbekistan — 2030” strategy: the country is developing IT infrastructure, applying preferential tax regimes for the industry through IT Park Uzbekistan, and leveraging its young population — over 60% of the country’s residents are under 30 years old.

Organizers expect the Olympiad to bring benefits to the country that extend beyond the tournament itself. Hosting the IOI strengthens Uzbekistan’s international reputation as a state systematically developing digital technologies and education, and serves as an incentive for thousands of school students to engage in programming, mathematics, and other STEM fields. The event also opens opportunities for international cooperation and experience exchange among specialists from different countries, while the arrival of participants and delegations from more than 90 countries promotes Uzbekistan’s tourism potential — for many guests, this will be their first introduction to Central Asia.

Ulugbek Rakhmatullaev, member of the Uzbekistan national team, bronze medalist at IOI-2025

It is a great honor for us to represent Uzbekistan at the International Olympiad in Informatics. We have been preparing for these competitions for a long time and will do our utmost to win. It is pleasing that participants from around the world will be able to get to know our country, while we will have the opportunity to compete with the best school students in the world.