The 2026 U.S. Drone Soccer National Championship, also known as the “Battle At The Beach,” took place May 18-19, 2026, at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. ce May 18-19, 2026, at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. The Cabrillo Flying Jags took first place and reclaimed the title of National Champion, earning the honor to become the next USA FAI F9A team for the Drone Soccer World Championships.
Event Overview
The championship featured the top 24 student aviators and teams out of the hundreds who competed in regional and district qualifiers throughout the 2025-2026 season. Student teams competed by building, programming, and piloting their own quadcopters in netted arenas and engaging in high-speed, 3-minute matches that featured striker and defender drones.
2026 Podium & Results
- National Champions (1st Place): Cabrillo Flying Jags
- 2nd Place: Sato Drone Soccer Team (defending champions Mushu)
What’s Next
The first-place champions earned the privilege to represent the U.S. on the global stage at international FAI (World Air Sports Federation) competitions. [1, 2]
To see what the national tournament atmosphere and arena gameplay look like:
U.S. Drone Soccer is a recognized AMA special interest group (SIG).