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Official Q&A: VEX IQ Robotics Competition 2025-2026: Mix & Match
2898: Can a team borrow a Loader from another team during a Teamwork Match?
In the VEX IQ Mix & Match competition, each alliance is composed of two teams that work together in a Teamwork Match.
According to rules <G4> and <G5>, all work must represent the skill level of the students on the team, and each student may only belong to one team during a season.
We would like to confirm whether a team is allowed to borrow a Human Loader from another team (for example, when a team’s own Loader cannot attend or is absent) during an official match.
If this is not allowed, could you please clarify whether:
The alliance partner’s student can temporarily serve as the Loader for both teams during the match?
Or must each team’s Loader strictly come from that specific team’s registered students only?
We would appreciate clarification so we can ensure proper staffing for our future events.
Thank you!
Thanks for these questions!
The next game manual update will revise rule <G5> to correct two inadvertent changes that were made in version 2.0 of the game manual. These changes are effective immediately.
The beginning of the rule will be revised to match the language from v1.1, and will read (bold added to emphasize the change):
Each Student can only belong to one Team. Each Team must include Drive Team Members, Coder(s), Designer(s), and Builder(s). Many also include notebooker(s). No Student may fulfill any of these roles for more than one VEX IQ Robotics Competition Team in a given competition season.
The note at the end of the rule will be revised to match the language from v1.1, and will read (bold added to emphasize the change):
Teams cannot “borrow” Students from other Teams to serve as Drive Team Members, Coders, Designers, Builders, or notebookers. However, Teams can add permanent members throughout the season under the guidelines of this rule.
The answers to your questions are as follows:
- A Team is not allowed to borrow a human Loader from another Team, regardless of the reason.
- A Team cannot use an extra member of their Alliance Partner's Team as their Loader
- All Drive Team Members, including Loaders, must be members of that Team