AI4CTF × CTF4AI | 30+ Nations & Regions | Sydney, Australia
Sydney, Australia
27 June - 2 July 2026
The 2026 Sydney International Cybersecurity Events have been officially upgraded to ICOA — the International Cyber Olympiad in AI — the World's First AI Security Olympiad. ICOA is a fully independent programme focused on AI security, with 30+ nations and regions accredited. Our dual-track format: Day 1 AI4CTF + Day 2 CTF4AI.
ICOA 2026 Sydney introduces a new dual-track format integrating AI Security — the first step in the olympiad's strategic evolution. Further details will be presented at the General Assembly.
ICOA 2026 Technical Syllabus is now live. Featuring a dual-track format: Day 1 Classic CTF with AI-assisted solving, and Day 2 CTF4AI — the world's first dedicated AI Security competition track at an international youth olympiad. Prompt injection, adversarial ML, deepfake detection, and more.
VIEW SYLLABUSASRA remains fully committed to hosting ICOA 2026. Hotels confirmed, practice platform live at practice.ico2026.au, registration open, and 95%+ budget locked. Observer programme now available for additional delegates.
READ MOREWe are excited to announce the official launch of the ICOA 2026 website. Sydney, Australia will host the International Cyber Olympiad in AI from June 27 to July 2, 2026. Registration opens January 15, 2026.
ICOA — the International Cyber Olympiad in AI — is the world's first international olympiad dedicated to AI security for high school students.
In early 2026, AI fundamentally changed cybersecurity. AI agents now solve 90%+ of traditional CTF challenges. Claude Code Security discovered 500+ undetected vulnerabilities. OpenAI Codex Security found 10,000+ high-severity issues. The next generation needs to learn to work WITH AI and defend AGAINST AI.
ICOA's dual-track format — AI4CTF × CTF4AI — is designed for exactly this future.
"The world's first olympiad where students learn to attack, defend, and evaluate AI systems."
Secure your team's spot at the premier cybersecurity competition
January 15 - March 19, 2026
March 20 - April 10, 2026
April 11 - May 1, 2026
Each country sends one team. Contact your national organization to be selected.
View participating nations & regions →No national committee in your country yet?
Apply to Become a National Organizer →Teams from around the world competing for excellence
ICOA 2026 is made possible by our generous sponsors and partners.
Join the world's best young cybersecurity talents in Sydney, 2026