FIRST^® Teams

More Than a Team — A Community

Being on a FIRST^® robotics team means joining a global community powered by innovation, teamwork, and real-world impact. Find the resources, events, and inspiration to make your season unforgettable.

Find Robotics Events & Teams Near You View FIRST Season Calendar

FIRST team examining their robot

FIRST Programs

Youth Robotics Teams for Every Age

Project-based, hands-on FIRST programs introduce students to engineering and coding in engaging, inclusive, and creative learning environments, where students work collaboratively on teams to solve themed robotics challenges – guided by their mentors, supporters, and the FIRST Core Values.

Children can join any of our three programs based on age or grade level; ages may vary by region. Click the tabs below to explore our three programs and key resources for your team’s success.

Find Your Program

FIRST^® LEGO^® League

Grades K-8
Spark Curiosity Through STEM
FIRST^® LEGO^® League introduces STEM to children through fun, exciting hands-on learning. Participants gain real-world problem-solving experiences through a guided, global robotics program using LEGO^® technology, helping today’s students and teachers build a better future together. FIRST LEGO League’s three divisions inspire youth to experiment and grow their critical thinking, coding, and design skills and showcase what they learned.
Explore the Program

FIRST LEGO LEAGUE
How to Start a Team
Find the steps you need to get started with your new team, including assembling your team roster, purchasing season registration and materials, and finding resources.

Get Started with these Steps

FIRST LEGO LEAGUE
Game & Season Details
In the 2025-2026 UNEARTHED™ challenge, FIRST LEGO League teams will uncover the past to discover the future. Explore the season’s game materials, videos, and resources.

See Game Details

FIRST LEGO LEAGUE
Program Resources
Find resources to guide your team toward a successful, fun season, including coach and facilitator resources and materials management tips.

Browse Resources
FIRST^® Tech Challenge

Grades 7-12
Engineer Creative Solutions
FIRST^® Tech Challenge students work together with their mentors to design and build robots to compete in a dynamic and exciting challenge released every September. Teams program classroom-scale robots to follow autonomous commands before student drivers take control in two-on-two matches. On and off the field, students develop STEM skills, engage in community outreach, practice engineering innovation, and build confidence to help them succeed.
Explore the Program

FIRST Tech Challenge
How to Start a Team
Find the steps you need to get started with your new team, including assembling your team roster, purchasing season registration and materials, and finding resources.

Get Started with these Steps

FIRST TECH CHALLENGE
Game & Season Details
Teams will investigate the power of the world’s artifacts and unlock mysteries in the 2025-2026 challenge, DECODE™ presented by RTX. Explore the season’s game materials, videos, and resources.

See Game Detail

FIRST TECH CHALLENGE
Team Management Resources
Find resources to guide your team toward a successful, fun season, including mentor training, fundraising toolkit, robot building, and programming resources.

Browse Resources
FIRST^® Robotics Competition

Grades 9-12
Transform Ideas Into Innovation
Each January brings a new challenge for FIRST^® Robotics Competition teams. Starting with a Kit of Parts, they design, program, and build industrial-sized robots to play an action-packed game on a themed field as part of a three-team alliance. Guided by mentors and sponsors, students learn engineering and problem-solving skills as they compete for awards, create a team identity, raise funds, hone teamwork skills, and advance appreciation for STEM in their community.
Explore the Program

FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION
How to Start a Team
Find the steps you need to get started with your new team, including assembling your team roster, purchasing season registration and materials, and finding resources.

Get Started with these Steps

FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION
Game & Season Details
In the 2026 REBUILT™ presented by Haas challenge, teams will use engineering skills and re-imagine the past. Explore the season’s game materials, videos, and resources.

See Game Details

FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION
Team Management Resources
Find resources to guide your team toward a successful, fun season, including mentor guides, team organization tips, fundraising guides, and technical resources.

Browse Resources

Grades K-8

Spark Curiosity Through STEM

FIRST^® LEGO^® League introduces STEM to children through fun, exciting hands-on learning. Participants gain real-world problem-solving experiences through a guided, global robotics program using LEGO^® technology, helping today’s students and teachers build a better future together. FIRST LEGO League’s three divisions inspire youth to experiment and grow their critical thinking, coding, and design skills and showcase what they learned.

Explore the Program

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FIRST LEGO LEAGUE

How to Start a Team

Find the steps you need to get started with your new team, including assembling your team roster, purchasing season registration and materials, and finding resources.

Get Started with these Steps

FIRST LEGO LEAGUE

Game & Season Details

In the 2025-2026 UNEARTHED™ challenge, FIRST LEGO League teams will uncover the past to discover the future. Explore the season’s game materials, videos, and resources.

See Game Details

FIRST LEGO LEAGUE

Program Resources

Find resources to guide your team toward a successful, fun season, including coach and facilitator resources and materials management tips.

Browse Resources

Grades 7-12

Engineer Creative Solutions

FIRST^® Tech Challenge students work together with their mentors to design and build robots to compete in a dynamic and exciting challenge released every September. Teams program classroom-scale robots to follow autonomous commands before student drivers take control in two-on-two matches. On and off the field, students develop STEM skills, engage in community outreach, practice engineering innovation, and build confidence to help them succeed.

Explore the Program

FIRST Tech Challenge team working on robot

FIRST Tech Challenge

How to Start a Team

Find the steps you need to get started with your new team, including assembling your team roster, purchasing season registration and materials, and finding resources.

Get Started with these Steps

FIRST TECH CHALLENGE

Game & Season Details

Teams will investigate the power of the world’s artifacts and unlock mysteries in the 2025-2026 challenge, DECODE™ presented by RTX. Explore the season’s game materials, videos, and resources.

See Game Detail

FIRST TECH CHALLENGE

Team Management Resources

Find resources to guide your team toward a successful, fun season, including mentor training, fundraising toolkit, robot building, and programming resources.

Browse Resources

Grades 9-12

Transform Ideas Into Innovation

Each January brings a new challenge for FIRST^® Robotics Competition teams. Starting with a Kit of Parts, they design, program, and build industrial-sized robots to play an action-packed game on a themed field as part of a three-team alliance. Guided by mentors and sponsors, students learn engineering and problem-solving skills as they compete for awards, create a team identity, raise funds, hone teamwork skills, and advance appreciation for STEM in their community.

Explore the Program

FIRST Robotics Competition team working on robot

FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION

How to Start a Team

Find the steps you need to get started with your new team, including assembling your team roster, purchasing season registration and materials, and finding resources.

Get Started with these Steps

FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION

Game & Season Details

In the 2026 REBUILT™ presented by Haas challenge, teams will use engineering skills and re-imagine the past. Explore the season’s game materials, videos, and resources.

See Game Details

FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION

Team Management Resources

Find resources to guide your team toward a successful, fun season, including mentor guides, team organization tips, fundraising guides, and technical resources.

Browse Resources

Get Involved

Find a Robotics Team

Searching for fun, friendship, and robots on a FIRST team near you? Use our team search tool to find local teams or start one at your school or in your community. FIRST provides support and resources you need to launch new FIRST Programs and inspire growth and innovation.

Search Teams & Events

FIRST TEAM ROLES

Ways to be Part of a FIRST Team

Each FIRST robotics team works collaboratively to build a robot designed for an annual, themed challenge – and so much more. Along the way, they build confidence, connections, and new skills to drive them further than they ever imagined. Explore the roles both youth and adults have on each team.

View Official Team Volunteer Roles

Youth Participant
Youth participants are at the center of every FIRST team. FIRST encourages inclusive participation through an expanded team structure that allows all young people to experiment with jobs and tasks and build a foundation of STEM and workforce skills — finding purpose, belonging and path to success.

Many FIRST teams, particularly in the upper grade-level programs, operate like small businesses with engineering and business roles to accomplish their goals.

Build the team’s robot by contributing to the design, mechanical, or electrical components.

Program or code the team’s robot to help bring the solution to life.

Drive or operate the team’s robot in competition.

Communicate the team’s learnings and success by creating presentations, websites, and social media.

Recruit new team members, create fundraisers, and promote STEM at events in your local community.

Find leadership and strategy roles on the team or within the FIRST community.

Youth Registration Overview
Lead Coach
FIRST teams require two adult lead coaches to oversee each team. Lead coaches can be parents, teachers, professional engineers, retirees, and more. Leads have a life-changing impact on young people’s lives – helping students build confidence, solve real-world problems, and thrive through delivering hands-on STEM programs.

Lead coaches are FIRST mentors who have a specific authority regarding team decisions and responsibilities.

Lead the day-to-day activities of the team, ensuring a welcoming environment..

Have authority to make leadership decisions for the team.

Act as the primary contact for the team.

Register the team, manage the roster and other needs in the FIRST Dashboard

Become a Lead Coach or Mentor
Mentors
Mentors work side by side with FIRST participants to develop their leadership, problem-solving skills and self-confidence. They help foster a spirit of teamwork, innovation, and valuing others while helping young people apply real-world concepts and gain self-confidence.

Mentors are individuals (18+) with technical or non-technical knowledge who teach and assist a team.

Help provide valuable support, share knowledge, and serve as a resource in a specialty area.

Build meaningful relationships with the team and attend meetings and events when available.

Guide and empower participants to take ownership and engage meaningfully in team efforts.

Youth ages 13-17 can serve as Youth Mentors to a team with younger participants, helping pass on learnings and support younger peers.

Become a Mentor
Team Volunteers & Administrators
Team volunteers & administrators help each FIRST team run smoothly by chaperoning, providing food, and other administrative support the team needs to sustain itself.

Team volunteers are individuals (18+) who regularly volunteer with and support the team but are not a mentor or the lead coach. They can chaperone or support the team in other ways.

Team administrators are individuals (18+) who can act on the team’s behalf in the FIRST Dashboard by creating a team and taking care of financial information and other resource procurement for the team.

Find a local team
Team Sponsors & Supporters
Whether a local business helping fund a team’s registration or travels or a parent or alumnus cheering on the team from the stands, a FIRST team’s sponsors and supporters champion the team.

Supporters can help FIRST teams in many ways:

Provide funding to local teams to help cover registration costs, travel fees, and other costs.

Donate resources to local teams, such as event space, equipment, and supplies.

Help connect local teams to funding opportunities, volunteers, and other support

Cheer on and promote teams and FIRST in their networks and local community.

Explore Ways to Give

Youth participants are at the center of every FIRST team. FIRST encourages inclusive participation through an expanded team structure that allows all young people to experiment with jobs and tasks and build a foundation of STEM and workforce skills — finding purpose, belonging and path to success.

Many FIRST teams, particularly in the upper grade-level programs, operate like small businesses with engineering and business roles to accomplish their goals.
Build the team’s robot by contributing to the design, mechanical, or electrical components.
Program or code the team’s robot to help bring the solution to life.
Drive or operate the team’s robot in competition.
Communicate the team’s learnings and success by creating presentations, websites, and social media.
Recruit new team members, create fundraisers, and promote STEM at events in your local community.
Find leadership and strategy roles on the team or within the FIRST community.

Youth Registration Overview

FIRST teams require two adult lead coaches to oversee each team. Lead coaches can be parents, teachers, professional engineers, retirees, and more. Leads have a life-changing impact on young people’s lives – helping students build confidence, solve real-world problems, and thrive through delivering hands-on STEM programs.

Lead coaches are FIRST mentors who have a specific authority regarding team decisions and responsibilities.
Lead the day-to-day activities of the team, ensuring a welcoming environment..
Have authority to make leadership decisions for the team.
Act as the primary contact for the team.
Register the team, manage the roster and other needs in the FIRST Dashboard

Become a Lead Coach or Mentor

Mentors work side by side with FIRST participants to develop their leadership, problem-solving skills and self-confidence. They help foster a spirit of teamwork, innovation, and valuing others while helping young people apply real-world concepts and gain self-confidence.

Mentors are individuals (18+) with technical or non-technical knowledge who teach and assist a team.
Help provide valuable support, share knowledge, and serve as a resource in a specialty area.
Build meaningful relationships with the team and attend meetings and events when available.
Guide and empower participants to take ownership and engage meaningfully in team efforts.
Youth ages 13-17 can serve as Youth Mentors to a team with younger participants, helping pass on learnings and support younger peers.

Become a Mentor

Team volunteers & administrators help each FIRST team run smoothly by chaperoning, providing food, and other administrative support the team needs to sustain itself.

Team volunteers are individuals (18+) who regularly volunteer with and support the team but are not a mentor or the lead coach. They can chaperone or support the team in other ways.
Team administrators are individuals (18+) who can act on the team’s behalf in the FIRST Dashboard by creating a team and taking care of financial information and other resource procurement for the team.

Find a local team

Whether a local business helping fund a team’s registration or travels or a parent or alumnus cheering on the team from the stands, a FIRST team’s sponsors and supporters champion the team.

Supporters can help FIRST teams in many ways:
Provide funding to local teams to help cover registration costs, travel fees, and other costs.
Donate resources to local teams, such as event space, equipment, and supplies.
Help connect local teams to funding opportunities, volunteers, and other support
Cheer on and promote teams and FIRST in their networks and local community.

Explore Ways to Give

Youth Protection Program

Your Safety Matters

FIRST is dedicated to fostering a safe, welcoming, and inspiring environment for young participants globally. The Youth Protection Program sets standards of behavior for adults and youth participating in FIRST, raises awareness about how to foster safe environments, and provides ways to report concerns and issues about youth safety.

Learn More

FIRST LEGO League robot with participant in background.

Extending STEM Learning & Skill Building

Participation in FIRST has lasting impact and students see significant gains in coveted workforce skills while gaining sustained interest in STEM. Explore how far FIRST participation can take you.

View the Impact

EVENTS

Build Connections & Gain Recognition

Teams gain awards and other recognition for shared learning and outcomes at FIRST events, where the FIRST community comes together to compete, celebrate, and form connections.

Learn About Events

CAREER TRAINING

Career Exploration & Certifications

FIRST helps students bridge the gap from curiosity to career confidence through career awareness tools, technical skill-building, and industry certification opportunities.

Explore the Classroom to Career Journey

SCHOLARSHIPS

College Scholarships for FIRST Participants

Colleges and universities value the skills that FIRST alumni bring to their campuses, and some even make scholarships available exclusively for FIRST participants and alumni.

Explore Scholarship Opportunities

Testimonials

What FIRST Robotics Teams Make Possible

When I saw how my friends were getting involved with FIRST, I got really interested. Everyone's willing to be kind to each other, willing to help you out. I said, "I want to be one of them."

Elena

FIRST Alum

[Being on a FIRST team] is more than just coding and robotics. FIRST empowers us to create meaningful impact through our work and to use our STEM skills to make a real difference.

Abhigyan & Abheer

FIRST Participants, Team Code Warriors

[Being on a FIRST team has] taught me critical thinking, how to take criticism, and how to be open to new ideas

Lia

FIRST Participant, Team Belize

Supported by FIRST Strategic Partners

Need to Register Students to a Team?

FIRST requires all youth participants to register. For those looking to invite students to join or who have been invited to join an existing team, visit our Youth Registration Overview for next steps.

View Youth Registration Steps