When comparing the results of 73 national teams, each consisting of 4 participants, from 2025 and 2026, average results improved in 35 countries, while a decline was recorded in 38 countries. The average dynamic across all compared teams was −7.34 points, or −1.84 percent.

At the same time, some countries showed significant growth in the first day's results. Denmark ranked first in absolute growth with +47.59 points, its average result rising from 73.16 to 120.75 points, an increase of 65.05 percent.

Georgia (+36.50 points), South Africa (+34.57), Lithuania (+34.03), Argentina (+32.00) and Greece (+31.48) followed in the next positions. Uzbekistan recorded 9th place in this ranking with a growth of +27.12 points.

In terms of absolute first-day results, China led with 246.90 points. Australia followed with 211.75, Japan with 210.50 and the United States with 205.50 points.

The Republic of Korea (192.75), Hong Kong (189.90), Turkiye (189.75), Poland (188.90) and Croatia (184) occupied the following positions. Uzbekistan's average result stood at 174.50 points, placing it 14th.

Notably, not all teams with high results showed growth compared to last year. For example, while China retained the absolute lead with 246.90 points, its result declined by 47.09 points compared to 2025. Nevertheless, China remained significantly ahead of its closest competitors.

Conversely, the United States combined a strong result with positive dynamics: the country's average score rose from 186.55 to 205.50 points, an increase of +18.96 points, or 10.16 percent.

Overall, participant-level first-day results also declined compared to last year. In 2025, the average result among 326 participants was 135.43 points, while in 2026 this figure stood at 118.45 points. However, due to differences in the number of participants and countries, a direct comparison of these figures cannot be considered a fully objective measure.

Among the 84 countries that took part in both years, the average result fell from 136.26 to 125.14 points. Among the 73 four-member national teams, considered the most objective basis for comparison, the average decline amounted to 7.34 points.

From this perspective, two distinct trends can be observed in the IOI 2026 first-day results: on one hand, traditionally strong teams such as China, Australia and Japan recorded high absolute results, while on the other hand, teams such as Denmark, Georgia, Lithuania, Uzbekistan and the United States demonstrated significant growth compared to the previous year.

The first-day results of the Olympiad show that a high result and growth in results are not always the same indicator. While some teams maintained their leading positions, others stood out for their annual rate of growth, indicating that the competition at IOI 2026 is intense not only in terms of results, but also in terms of dynamics.