CompetitionRegulations
Preamble
These public competition regulations ("Regulations") shall govern the organization and conduct of the Championship public competition ("Competition").
1. Terms and Definitions
The terms and definitions used herein have the following meanings equally applicable in the singular and plural:
- Category — the Competition categories of Analytics, Algorithm, and Machine Learning.
- Participant — a legally competent individual aged 18 or older who is acting on their own behalf, is the citizen of any country, and has completed Competition tasks as required hereby. Participation in the Main Stream is not open to employees of the Organizer and/or affiliates, anyone employed by the Organizer and/or affiliates from September 10, 2026, to November 29, 2026, or their family members.
- Competition commission — a body comprised of the Organizer's employees approved by the Organizer to assess the Results of Competition Participants.
- Problems — requirements for Results and how Results are to be delivered to the Organizer as stated in these Regulations and the terms and conditions set forth in accordance with Clause 5 hereof.
- Results — the solution to a Problem submitted by a Participant to the Organizer by the deadline stipulated in Clause 4 hereof.
- Finalist — a Participant who has qualified for the Competition Finals as per the decision of the Competition Commission.
- Competition winners/prize winners — Participants who have taken the top five places in each Competition category as per the decision of the Competition Committee, meaning their Results were recognized as the best based on the criteria specified in the Problems.
2. Competition objectives
The Competition is designed to pursue the following socially beneficial objectives:
- Support competitive programming and machine learning around the world.
- Attract the best programmers to the Competition.
The Competition is not an educational service provided by the Organizers.
3. Competition Organizer
The Competition Organizer is Yandex LLC (OGRN 1027700229193), located at (registered and actual address): 16 Lev Tolstoy St., Moscow, 119021.
The Competition Co-organizer is YandexBel LLC (State Registration Number: 191684602), located at (registered and actual address): 5 Dzerzhinskogo Avenue, Office 707, Minsk, Republic of Belarus, 220069.
4. Terms and venue of the Competition
4.1. The following are the stages and dates for the Competition:
- Kick-off announcement — September 10, 2026
- Trial Round for the Algorithm and Analytics categories — October 12—18, 2026
- Qualifications for the Algorithm and Analytics categories — November 1, 2026
- Qualifications for the Machine Learning category — October 23 — November 1, 2026
- Announcement of finalists — by November 10, 2026
- Finals — November 27—29, 2026
4.2. The Trial and Qualification rounds are held remotely here: https://contest.yandex.com/. The Competition Finals will be held in-person in Moscow, Russia. Remote participation is not permitted.
4.3. The Organizer undertakes to purchase round-trip tickets to the Finals for finalists who do not live in Moscow, also providing accommodation for the duration of the Competition Finals. The Organizer reserves the right to select the flight and accommodation for Finalists.
5. Terms and conditions of the Competition and requirements for Results
5.1. The terms and conditions for the Competition and the criteria, requirements, and evaluation procedure for Results can be found here: https://yandex.com/cup.
5.2. The Organizer retains the right to amend the terms and conditions in accordance with Article 1058 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation.
5.3. Participants undertake not to discuss the Problems or their solutions with other Participants or third parties. Participants must complete all Problems independently. Problem solutions may not be published on the internet or given to other participants. During the Qualification round, Participants must take reasonable measures to protect their solutions (for example, solutions should not be stored on computers in directories accessible by other users). After the Qualification round, solutions will be checked for cheating. Participants will be disqualified or their points for individual Problems annulled in the following cases:
- Use of multiple logins or a login belonging to someone else
- Attempts to abuse the testing system
- Otherwise problematic behavior
- Publication of solutions online
- Submission of someone else's solution, even if the other person's solution was edited or changed
- Giving a solution to another participant, including unintentionally
AI tools can only be used to search for references (basic information about APIs for standard libraries) in the Analytics and Machine Learning categories. AI tools are not permitted for the Algorithm category.
Rule violations are reviewed independently by the Organizer. Participants will be disqualified even if their solution was obtained and submitted by another participant without their knowledge.
5.4. The Organizer also reserves the right to publish any or all Competition category rules separately, though only prior to Qualifications for the category in question and after notifying Participants (for example, by posting information on the Competition site: https://yandex.com/cup).
6. Registering for the Competition
6.1. Participants must register before the start of the Competition by filling out the registration form at https://yandex.com/cup/profile/signup.
6.2. Each Participant must fill out all required fields in the registration form.
6.3. Additional information may be requested of Competition Winners by the Organizer, including:
- Full name
- Place of residence
- Passport details
- Year of birth
- Phone number
- Bank account information
- Place of employment/study
- Profession
6.4. Registering the Participant and executing these Regulations requires the Organizer to process the personal data listed in the registration form and other personal data sent by the Participant to the Organizer in order to participate in the Competition under the terms of the Privacy Policy (https://yandex.com/legal/confidential). Personal data is processed in order to grant access to the Competition and fulfill the Organizer's obligations under the Regulations and applicable legislation, including providing Participants with access to the competition system; processing and sending prizes to Competition Winners and Prize Winners based on Competition results; transferring personal data to third parties for the purpose of sending prizes; filing declarations with tax authorities; paying taxes for the Competition Winners and Prize Winners; posting information, including the full names, photographs, and biographies of the Finalists and Competition Winners/Prize Winners on the Organizer's website; providing feedback to Participants; and sending information to Participants. This consent is valid for 5 (five) years.
6.5. By registering, Participants acknowledge that they have read and accepted the Competition Regulations available at https://yandex.com/cup/regulations, the General Terms of the Competition available at https://yandex.ru/legal/competition_generalterms/, and the Competition Rules available at https://yandex.com/cup/rules ("Competition Rules").
6.6. After registration, Participants can send their Results to the Organizer in accordance with Clause 4 hereof.
6.7. Competition Participants can participate in any Competition category during the Trial Round. During Qualifications, Participants can participate in the Machine Learning category and one of the Algorithm and Analytics categories. Competition Participants can only become a Finalist in one of the Machine Learning, Algorithm, and Analytics categories.
6.8. By sending Results to the Organizer, the Participant retains all intellectual property rights in relation to their Results but grants the Organizer a royalty-free, non-exclusive license to use their Results, including by reproducing, disclosing to the public, distributing, and modifying. The Organizer may publish their Results, accompany them with comments and other materials, and include them in compilations at any point with no limitations until the expiration of the Organizer's exclusive rights to the Results.
7. Determining Winners and Prize Winners
7.1. Competition Winners and Prize Winners for each prize-winning place shall be determined by the Competition Commission by scoring according to Clause 5.1. of the Regulations. The final score shall be the sum of all points awarded by members of the Competition Commission.
7.2. The Competition Committee determines the Winners and Prize Winners based on their assessment results. The decisions of the Competition Committee are disclosed in the Competition Results Statement ("Statement").
7.3. Participants can only be a Winner and/or Prize Winner in the main or Juniors streams up to two times across all categories, with the exception of the Algorithm category. Participants can be a Winner and/or Prize Winner in the Algorithm category an unlimited number of times.
8. Competition results
8.1. The Competition results will be disclosed at https://yandex.com/cup/ by December 15, 2026.
8.2. At the Qualification stage, participants are provided with Certificates of Participation. A certificate is granted to participants who register and submit at least one solution during Qualifications.
8.3. Finalist Certificates are provided based on the results of the Competition Final. Certificates are awarded to participants in the Competition Final.
9. Prizes
9.1. Prizes are provided by the Competition Organizer or Co-organizer in accordance with Clause 10.5 of the Regulations.
9.2. Winners receive the following prizes according to their final position in each category:
Analytics:
- FIRST PLACE — ₽500,000
- SECOND PLACE — ₽400,000
- THIRD PLACE — ₽300,000
- FOURTH PLACE — ₽200,000
- FIFTH PLACE — ₽100,000
Algorithm:
- FIRST PLACE — ₽500,000
- SECOND PLACE — ₽400,000
- THIRD PLACE — ₽300,000
- FOURTH PLACE — ₽200,000
- FIFTH PLACE — ₽100,000
Machine Learning:
- FIRST PLACE — ₽500,000
- SECOND PLACE — ₽400,000
- THIRD PLACE — ₽300,000
- FOURTH PLACE — ₽200,000
- FIFTH PLACE — ₽100,000
9.3. Cash prizes for Winners/Prize Winners who are citizens of Russia are shown net of the personal income tax to be accrued and paid by the Organizer in accordance with Russian law. Winners/Prize Winners who are citizens of Russia shall be paid prize money in RUB to a bank account opened in Russia.
9.4. Winners/Prize Winners who are citizens of Belarus may request in writing for the cash prize to be paid in Belorussian Rubles to a bank account opened in Belarus at the exchange rate established by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation on the payment date.
9.5. Winners/Prize Winners who are citizens of Kazakhstan may request in writing for the cash prize to be paid in Tenge or USD to a bank account opened in Kazakhstan at the exchange rate established by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation on the payment date.
9.6. For Winners/Prize Winners who are citizens of a country other than Russia, Belarus, or Kazakhstan, and who are not subject to Clauses 9.3–9.5, the cash prize will be paid in USD at the exchange rate set by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation on the payment date.
10. Receiving prizes
10.1. The prizes listed in Clause 9.2. hereof shall be delivered by the Competition Organizer to the Winners/Prize Winners by wire transfer using the bank details specified by the Winners/Prize Winners.
If the Winner is a resident for tax and currency purposes in accordance with Russian law, the Prize payment will be made by the Organizer in RUB at the exchange rate of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation set on the payment date in accordance with points 9.3–9.6 of the Regulations.
If the Winner is not a resident for tax and currency purposes in accordance with Russian law, the Prize payment will be made by the Organizer in USD in accordance with points 9.3–9.6 of the Regulations.
10.2. To receive their prize, each Winner/Prize Winner shall submit the following documents:
- A scanned copy of their passport or other ID
- A scanned copy of their individual tax registration certificate at their place of residence in Russia (if applicable)
- Bank account information
- Acceptance of the Competition terms and conditions (using the form provided by the Organizer)
10.3. If necessary, the Organizer may request additional documents from Winners/Prize Winners to comply with tax law.
10.4. To receive their prize, the Winner/Prize Winner must fill out the form provided by the Organizer and attach all required documents. The form must be submitted on or before December 20, 2026. The prize amount shall be paid to the Winner/Prize Winner within 90 (ninety) calendar days of the date the Contest Organizer receives the completed form with all required documents attached. If the Winner/Prize Winner fails to submit the completed form and required documents by December 20, 2026, the Winner/Prize Winner will be denied their right to the cash prize.
10.5. If the Winner is a citizen of Belarus, their prize will be awarded by the Co-organizer as follows:
10.5.1. Prizes are awarded in accordance with the local regulations of the Co-organizer.
10.5.2 The prize amount is listed in clause 9.2 of the Regulations in RUB before income tax. If payment is made by the Co-organizer, the Winner may not demand duplicate payment by the Organizer.
11. Final provisions
11.1. The Competition is held in accordance with Russian law. The Competition is not an educational service.
11.2. When a Participant registers in accordance with Clause 6.1. hereof, they unreservedly accept all terms and conditions of the Competition, the Competition Rules, and the Regulations.
11.3. In all respects not regulated by the Regulations and Competition Rules, the parties shall be guided by Russian law.
11.4. All disputes or differences arising in connection with the organization and conduct of the Competition shall be settled by negotiation. Any disputes not settled by negotiation shall be settled by a justice of the peace in Judicial District No. 365 of the Khamovniki District of Moscow or in the Khamovniki District Court of Moscow (depending on the rules for determining exclusive jurisdiction established by Russian law).
Preamble
These public competition regulations ("Regulations") shall govern the organization and conduct of the Championship public competition ("Competition").
1. Terms and Definitions
The following terms and definitions used herein have the following meanings equally applicable in the singular and plural:
- Category — the Competition categories of Analytics, Algorithm, and Machine Learning.
- Participant — a competent individual aged 14 to 17 acting on their own behalf with the written permission or under the oversight of their legal representative, a citizen of any country who has completed the Competition tasks as required hereby. Participation in the Main Stream is not open to employees of the Organizer and/or affiliates, anyone employed by the Organizer and/or affiliates from September 10, 2026, to November 29, 2026, or their family members.
- Competition commission — a body comprised of the Organizer's employees approved by the Organizer to assess the Results of Competition Participants.
- Problems — requirements for Results and how Results are to be delivered to the Organizer as stated in these Regulations and the terms and conditions set forth in accordance with Clause 5 hereof.
- Results — the solution to a Problem submitted by a Participant to the Organizer by the deadline stipulated in Clause 4 hereof.
- Finalist — a Participant who has qualified for the Competition Finals as per the decision of the Competition Commission.
- Competition winners/prize winners — Participants who have taken the top four places in each of the Analytics, Algorithm, and Machine Learning categories by virtue of their Results being recognized as the best based on the criteria specified in the Problems.
2. Competition objectives
The Competition is designed to pursue the following socially beneficial objectives:
- Support competitive programming and machine learning around the world.
- Attract the best programmers to the Competition.
The Competition is not an educational service provided by the Organizers.
3. Competition Organizer
The Competition Organizer is Yandex LLC (OGRN 1027700229193), located at (registered and actual address): 16 Lev Tolstoy St., Moscow, 119021.
The Competition Co-organizer is YandexBel LLC (State Registration Number: 191684602), located at (registered and actual address): 5 Dzerzhinskogo Avenue, Office 707, Minsk, Republic of Belarus, 220069.
4. Terms and venue of the Competition
4.1. The following are the stages and dates for the Competition:
- Kick-off announcement — September 10, 2026
- Trial Round for the Algorithm and Analytics categories — October 12—18, 2026
- Qualifications for the Algorithm and Analytics categories — November 1, 2026
- Qualifications for the Machine Learning category — October 23 — November 1, 2026
- Announcement of finalists — by November 10, 2026
- Finals — November 27—29, 2026
4.2. The Trial and Qualification rounds are held remotely here: https://contest.yandex.com/. The Competition Finals will be held in-person in Moscow, Russia. Remote participation is not permitted.
4.3. The Organizer undertakes to purchase round-trip tickets to the Finals for finalists and one legal representative for each who do not live in Moscow, also providing accommodation for the duration of the Competition Finals. The Organizer reserves the right to select the flight and accommodation for Finalists.
5. Terms and conditions of the Competition and requirements for Results
5.1. The terms and conditions for the Competition and the criteria, requirements, and evaluation procedure for Results can be found here: https://yandex.com/cup.
5.2. The Organizer retains the right to amend the terms and conditions in accordance with Article 1058 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation.
5.3. Participants undertake not to discuss the Problems or their solutions with other Participants or third parties. Participants must complete all Problems independently. Problem solutions may not be published on the internet or given to other participants. During the Qualification round, Participants must take reasonable measures to protect their solutions (for example, solutions should not be stored on computers in directories accessible by other users). After the Qualification round, solutions will be checked for cheating. Participants will be disqualified or their points for individual Problems annulled in the following cases:
- Use of multiple logins or a login belonging to someone else
- Attempts to abuse the testing system
- Otherwise problematic behavior
- Publication of solutions online
- Submission of someone else's solution, even if the other person's solution was edited or changed
- Giving a solution to another participant, including unintentionally
AI tools can only be used to search for references (basic information about APIs for standard libraries) in the Analytics and Machine Learning categories. AI tools are not permitted for the Algorithm category.
Rule violations are reviewed independently by the Organizer. Participants will be disqualified even if their solution was obtained and submitted by another participant without their knowledge.
5.4. The Organizer also reserves the right to publish any or all Competition category rules separately, though only prior to Qualifications for the category in question and after notifying Participants (for example, by posting information on the Competition site: https://yandex.com/cup).
6. Registering for the Competition
6.1. Participants must register before the start of the Competition by filling out the registration form at https://yandex.com/cup/profile/signup.
6.2. Each Participant must fill out all required fields in the registration form.
6.3. Additional information may be requested of Competition Winners by the Organizer, including:
- Full name
- Place of residence
- Passport details
- Year of birth
- Phone number
- Bank account information
- Place of employment/study
- Profession
6.4. Registering the Participant and executing these Regulations requires the Organizer to process the personal data listed in the registration form and other personal data sent by the Participant to the Organizer in order to participate in the Competition under the terms of the Privacy Policy (https://yandex.com/legal/confidential). Personal data is processed in order to grant access to the Competition and fulfill the Organizer's obligations under the Regulations and applicable legislation, including providing Participants with access to the competition system; processing and sending prizes to Competition Winners and Prize Winners based on Competition results; transferring personal data to third parties for the purpose of sending prizes; filing declarations with tax authorities; paying taxes for the Competition Winners and Prize Winners; posting information, including the full names, photographs, and biographies of the Finalists and Competition Winners/Prize Winners on the Organizer's website; providing feedback to Participants; and sending information to Participants. This consent is valid for 5 (five) years.
6.5. By registering, Participants acknowledge that they have read and accepted the Competition Regulations available at https://yandex.com/cup/regulations, the General Terms of the Competition available at https://yandex.ru/legal/competition_generalterms/, and the Competition Rules available at https://yandex.com/cup/rules ("Competition Rules").
6.6. After registration, Participants can send their Results to the Organizer in accordance with Clause 4 hereof.
6.7. Competition Participants can participate in any Competition category during the Trial Round. During Qualifications, Participants can participate in the Machine Learning category and one of the Algorithm and Analytics categories. Competition Participants can only become a Finalist in one of the Machine Learning, Algorithm, and Analytics categories.
6.8. Immediately upon of completion and submission of Problem Results to the Organizer, Competition Participants consent to: (1) the use (by all means not prohibited by applicable law, including reproduction, making the Results available tot he public, incorporation into compilations, public display, public performance, and the creation and use of advertising materials) by the Organizer of their Results, with or without mention of the author's name (pseudonym) in all cases, (2) the use of their Results under any title the Organizer considers appropriate, as well as under the company name and/or trademark (service mark) of the Organizer, or any other designation at the discretion of the organizer, and (3) any other modifications made by the Organizer to their Results. Consent is deemed granted for globally for the entire duration of the exclusive right of the Organizer to the Results.
7. Determining Winners and Prize Winners
7.1. Competition Winners and Prize Winners for each prize-winning place shall be determined by the Competition Commission by scoring according to Clause 5.1. of the Regulations. The final score shall be the sum of all points awarded by members of the Competition Commission.
7.2. The Competition Committee determines the Winners and Prize Winners based on their assessment results. The decisions of the Competition Committee are disclosed in the Competition Results Statement ("Statement").
7.3. Participants can only be a Winner and/or Prize Winner in the main or Juniors streams up to two times across all categories, with the exception of the Algorithm category. Participants can be a Winner and/or Prize Winner in the Algorithm category an unlimited number of times.
8. Competition results
8.1. The Competition results will be disclosed at https://yandex.com/cup/ by December 15, 2026.
8.2. At the Qualification stage, participants are provided with Certificates of Participation. A certificate is granted to participants who register and submit at least one solution during Qualifications.
8.3. Finalist Certificates are provided based on the results of the Competition Final. Certificates are awarded to participants in the Competition Final.
9. Prizes
9.1. Prizes are provided by the Competition Organizer.
9.2. Winners receive the following prizes according to their final position in each category:
Analytics:
- FIRST PLACE — ₽500,000
- SECOND PLACE — ₽400,000
- THIRD PLACE — ₽300,000
- FOURTH PLACE — ₽200,000
- FIFTH PLACE — ₽100,000
Algorithm:
- FIRST PLACE — ₽500,000
- SECOND PLACE — ₽400,000
- THIRD PLACE — ₽300,000
- FOURTH PLACE — ₽200,000
- FIFTH PLACE — ₽100,000
Machine Learning:
- FIRST PLACE — ₽500,000
- SECOND PLACE — ₽400,000
- THIRD PLACE — ₽300,000
- FOURTH PLACE — ₽200,000
- FIFTH PLACE — ₽100,000
9.3. Cash prizes for Winners/Prize Winners are shown net of the personal income tax to be accrued and paid by the Organizer in accordance with Russian law. Winners/Prize Winners who are citizens of Russia shall be paid prize money in RUB to a bank account opened in Russia.
9.4. Winners/Prize Winners who are citizens of Belarus may request in writing for the cash prize to be paid in Belorussian Rubles to a bank account opened in Belarus at the exchange rate established by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation on the payment date.
9.5. Winners/Prize Winners who are citizens of Kazakhstan may request in writing for the cash prize to be paid in Tenge or USD to a bank account opened in Kazakhstan at the exchange rate established by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation on the payment date.
9.6. For Winners/Prize Winners who are citizens of a country other than Russia, Belarus, or Kazakhstan, and who are not subject to Clauses 9.3–9.5, the cash prize will be paid in USD at the exchange rate set by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation on the payment date.
10. Receiving prizes
10.1. The prizes listed in Clause 9.2. hereof shall be delivered by the Competition Organizer to the Winners/Prize Winners by wire transfer using the bank details specified by the Winners/Prize Winners.
If the Winner is a resident for tax and currency purposes in accordance with Russian law, the Prize payment will be made by the Organizer in RUB at the exchange rate of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation set on the payment date in accordance with points 9.3–9.6 of the Regulations.
If the Winner is not a resident for tax and currency purposes in accordance with Russian law, the Prize payment will be made by the Organizer in USD in accordance with points 9.3–9.6 of the Regulations.
10.2. To receive their prize, each Winner/Prize Winner shall submit the following documents:
- A scanned copy of their passport or other ID
- A scanned copy of their individual tax registration certificate at their place of residence in Russia (if applicable)
- Bank account information
- Acceptance of the Competition terms and conditions (using the form provided by the Organizer)
- Written consent by a legal representative of the Participant to their participation in the Competition
- Written permission by a legal representative of the Participant to process their personal information
10.3. If necessary, the Organizer may request additional documents from Winners/Prize Winners to comply with tax law.
10.4. To receive their prize, the Winner/Prize Winner must fill out the form provided by the Organizer and attach all required documents. The form must be submitted on or before December 20, 2026. The prize amount shall be paid to the Winner/Prize Winner within 90 (ninety) calendar days of the date the Contest Organizer receives the completed form with all required documents attached. If the Winner/Prize Winner fails to submit the completed form and required documents by December 20, 2026, the Winner/Prize Winner will be denied their right to the cash prize.
10.5. If the Winner is a citizen of Belarus, their prize will be awarded by the Co-organizer as follows:
10.5.1. Prizes are awarded in accordance with the local regulations of the Co-organizer.
10.5.2 The prize amount is listed in clause 9.2 of the Regulations in RUB before income tax. If payment is made by the Co-organizer, the Winner may not demand duplicate payment by the Organizer.
11. Final provisions
11.1. The Competition is held in accordance with Russian law. The Competition is not an educational service.
11.2. When a Participant registers in accordance with Clause 6.1. hereof, they unreservedly accept all terms and conditions of the Competition, the Competition Rules, and the Regulations.
11.3. In all respects not regulated by the Regulations and Competition Rules, the parties shall be guided by Russian law.
11.4. All disputes or differences arising in connection with the organization and conduct of the Competition shall be settled by negotiation. Any disputes not settled by negotiation shall be settled by a justice of the peace in Judicial District No. 365 of the Khamovniki District of Moscow or in the Khamovniki District Court of Moscow (depending on the rules for determining exclusive jurisdiction established by Russian law).