24 HOURS OF COMPETITIVE PROGRAMMING
24 hours of competitive programming is waiting for you.
IEEEXtreme 20.0 will take place on 31 October 2026.
MISSION BRIEFING
Mark your calendars. Prepare your workstation and synchronize with your squad.
PreXtreme Warm-Up
September 2026
Official 4-hour warm-up round. Sharpen your algorithms and test proctor credentials on CS Academy before the main marathon.
IEEEXtreme 20.0
31 October 2026
24 hours of non-stop competitive programming is waiting for you. One unified scoreboard across all time zones worldwide.
Form Your Squad
1 to 3 Members + Proctor
Assemble a team with fellow IEEE members from your college and compete under official certified proctor supervision.
ABOUT IEEEXTREME 20.0
IEEEXtreme is the premier global virtual competitive programming marathon organized by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). For 24 straight hours, thousands of student teams worldwide solve complex algorithmic challenges on a single live scoreboard.
24-Hour Global Marathon
A grueling yet exhilarating 24-hour virtual programming challenge happening simultaneously across every time zone on Earth.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
Four key requirements to compete in IEEEXtreme 20.0
Every team member must hold an active IEEE Student or Graduate Student membership number.
An IEEE Professional Member (faculty advisor, professor, or senior member) who agrees to proctor.
Form your squad with peers from the same university or IEEE Student Branch.
Computer with internet access and your preferred IDEs / toolchains for the 24-hour sprint.
PRACTICE COMMUNITY
Get a taste of what IEEEXtreme is like by visiting our practice community on CS Academy. Sharpen your algorithmic reflexes before the 24-hour marathon starts!
Official CS Academy Engine
Run, test, and benchmark code in real time with the identical compiler and environment used during the official IEEEXtreme competition.
Archived Past Competitions
Solve official problems from IEEEXtreme 19.0, 18.0, 17.0, and earlier editions with verified test suites and community explanations.
25+ Supported Languages
Practice in your squad's primary language: C++23, Python 3, Java, Rust, Go, C#, Haskell, and more with modern compiler flags.
Sample Practice Challenges
Get a preview of curated problems available on CS Academy
Gotta Catch 'Em All
Dynamic Programming / Graphs
Navigate a matrix grid under energy constraints to capture maximum targets without exceeding coordinate bounds.
Mosaic Challenge
Geometry & Math
Calculate optimal rectangular tiling and cut margins for complex artistic mosaic installations with minimum waste.
Laser Defense Grid
Computational Geometry & Sweepline
Determine intersections between laser beams across an N-dimensional grid to secure orbital defensive perimeters.
Star Road Traversal
Tree Decomposition & Centroids
Query distances and optimal teleportation paths on a celestial star cluster represented as a weighted acyclic graph.
PROBLEM SIMULATOR
Read the problem statement, write your solution in JavaScript, and test your code live against competition test cases!
Problem 1: Two-Sum Target Finder
Given an array of integers `nums` and an integer `target`, return the indices of the two numbers such that they add up to `target`. You may assume each input has exactly one solution, and you cannot use the same element twice.
First line contains space-separated integers for nums, second line contains the target integer.
- 2 <= nums.length <= 10^4
- -10^9 <= nums[i] <= 10^9
- -10^9 <= target <= 10^9
2 7 11 15 9
0,1
Type your solution and click "Run & Check Result" to verify testcases.
PRIZE POOL & HALL OF FAME
Over $50,000 in prizes, global travel grants, and ultimate bragging rights across 100+ countries.
World Champions
Roundtrip coach airfare from preferred major airport to conference destination, full conference registration fees, and 3-night hotel accommodations provided by IEEE for each winning team member.
Global Runners-Up
Direct cash awards for each winning team member ($400 for 2nd place, $300 for 3rd place), commemorative IEEE medals, and certificates of international distinction.
Top Teams & Region Champions
Official IEEEXtreme merchandise bundles for each member of teams placing 4th through 20th globally and the top 3 ranked teams across each IEEE Region worldwide.
IEEEXtreme Hall of Fame
RULES & NOTICES
Essential guidelines, regulatory updates, and official terms governing IEEEXtreme 20.0 on 31 October 2026.
IMPORTANT – Changes to IEEEXtreme Competitors Must Know
The IEEE committee has introduced revised proctor authorization criteria, updated scoring weights, locked-workspace AI bans, and enhanced automated code plagiarism verification for edition 20.0. Please read the complete official rules documentation.
Key Competition Rules At A Glance
Prize & Legal Terms
Official IEEE Disclaimers
* Tax & Warranty Disclaimer:
Taxes, if any, are the sole responsibility of each winning team member. Sponsor makes no warranties or disclaimers concerning the prizes beyond those customarily given by the manufacturer of the prizes. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute different prizes of approximately equivalent value in its sole discretion. Void where prohibited by law.
Eligibility & Compliance:
Winning teams must provide verified IEEE Student Membership documentation and official academic affiliation. All participants are subject to the IEEE Code of Conduct and competition terms and conditions.
WHY COMPETE?
Join an elite tradition spanning two decades of competitive excellence.
Global Arena
Compete with students and developers from every corner of the world on a live global leaderboard updated in real time.
Real Complex Problems
Algorithmic puzzles, dynamic programming, graph theory, geometry, and cryptography curated by the international IEEE panel.
International Recognition
Top teams earn conference travel grants, cash prizes, custom trophies, and career spotlights with leading tech firms.
Unbreakable Team Spirit
24 hours test your endurance, communication, and strategy. Grow with your squad and forge lifelong connections.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Everything you need to know about team formations, proctoring, guidelines, and supported stacks.
BE XTREME WITH US.
24 HOURS OF COMPETITIVE PROGRAMMING IS WAITING FOR YOU.