The Finnish ECSC Qualifiers 2026 – Rules

1. Introduction

These rules are adopted by the Next Gen Hack Finland association board, that organizes the national qualifier for Finnish ECSC National team.

Any questions of interpretation are decided by National manager Riku Juurikko, or by the judge appointed for the relevant part of the competition. If a participant disagrees with a decision, the matter may be submitted to the board.

These rules may be changed at any time based on decisions made by the board.

2. Fair Play

Both players and judges are expected to follow general fair play principles. It is not permitted to exploit systems or rules in unintended ways, including in situations not explicitly described in the rules. In cases of doubt as to whether an action constitutes unintended exploitation of rules or systems, the national coach/judge must be contacted before any actions are taken.

All participants are expected to behave politely and respectfully toward one another. Bullying and harassment are not tolerated.

3. Rules

3.1 All participation is individual.

It is not permitted to assist other participants unless this is explicitly stated in the individual tasks (e.g. team tasks). This includes sharing flags, hints, or other types of information.

Note that this only applies during the actual competition (qualification, regional, and national championships). During training sessions where no points are awarded, participants are welcome to help each other.

3.2 Who may participate

There are two participant categories:

• 15–20 years
• 21–25 years

Age is determined as of 31 December in the competition year.

Participation in the European Championships furthermore requires Finnish citizenship. Therefore, Finnish citizenship is a requirement for participation in the qualifiers. You may play the CTF and solve challenges for your personal learning but eligibility for the On-site qualifier requires Finnish citizenship.

3.3 Physical attacks

Physical violence and attacks are strictly prohibited.

3.4 Scope of the competition

Only tasks included in the competition may be solved. Attacks against other participants (unless explicitly included in a task description) or against the platforms and infrastructures on which the competition/tasks are run are not permitted. This means, among other things, that:

• DoS/DDoS attacks are not permitted.
• It is not permitted to attack the networks provided (e.g. access to websites and labs, or WiFi/LAN).
• It is not permitted to manipulate the scoring system beyond receiving the points one is entitled to.
• It is not permitted to interfere with the platform or infrastructure.

3.5 Problems with a task

If a participant experiences problems with a task, they may contact the responsible judge or another representative of the competition for assistance, for example to reset the task.

3.6 Writeups

It is permitted to publish writeups once the individual competitions have concluded. This means that writeups from Qualifiers may be published from 23 March 2026.

3.7 Complaints or irregularities

Complaints must be submitted directly to the relevant judge. In the case of technical errors, where the complainant wishes to receive points (e.g. a non-functioning flag), it is important to secure evidence such as screenshots to support the complaint. Complaints must generally be received before the competition is decided and winners are announced. Only in very special cases (e.g. if it later emerges that a participant attacked the infrastructure, or if it is revealed that a participant provided incorrect information regarding age or nationality) will it be possible to consider complaints submitted afterwards.

4. About the competition

The competition consists of the following elements:

• The virtual qualification, where top 25 players for each age group are invited to the On-site qualifiers held in the end of April.
  • Based on the On-site qualifiers, the national coaches select the national team of 5+5 players and 2+2 reserve players from each age group to the

5. Sanctions

• In the event of rule violations, the judge may impose one of the following sanctions, or a combination thereof:
  • Disqualification. This sanction is typically imposed for serious, repeated, or intentional violations of the rules.
  • Warning. This sanction is typically imposed for minor rule violations where the participant has not knowingly or intentionally cheated or attempted to cheat. Two warnings result in disqualification.
  • Deduction of points. This sanction is applied if it is assessed that a participant has gained an advantage through intentional or unintentional rule violations.

FAQ (Updated continuously)

May you participate and solve tasks if you are over 25 years old?

• No, the championships are for participants aged 15–25. Opportunities will be provided for everyone to try the tasks, either during or after the official competition.

Is participation in the virtual qualification required if you wish to join the national team?

• Yes. The virtual qualification is a prerequisite for participating in the on-site qualifiers, from which the national team is selected.

What should I do if I experience technical problems?

• Send an email to support@cybermesterskaberne.dk, and we will try to help.

Do I need to be a Finnish citizen to participate?

• Finnish citizenship is a requirement for participating in the qualifying for the national team. You can however participate for learning and bragging rights :)