FIRST^® Tech Challenge

FIRST Championship Information

The 2026 FIRST^® Championship presented by BAE Systems will bring together over 330 FIRST^® Tech Challenge teams. This page is intended to be an overview on FIRST Championship details specific to the FIRST Tech Challenge program.

View Resource Library View Cross-Program Championship Info

Preparing for FIRST Championship

Details on how teams earn advancement to attend the FIRST Championship is available in Section 4. Advancement of our Competition Manual.

Teams should also check out the FIRST Championship Website for information that is applicable to all programs and attendees and the FIRST Championship Event Guide (coming soon) for information that is applicable to all attendees such as information about badging, Conferences, Innovation Faire, and more!

Team Schedule

View our FIRST Tech Challenge Team Schedule here!

Badging & Hotel Options

All teams traveling to FIRST Championship will be required to book their housing accommodations within those designated hotel blocks. Upon qualification for the 2026 FIRST Championship, teams will receive an email from ConferenceDirect to begin the process to book their event housing.

Find more details including available hotels on the FIRST Championship Event Housing webpage.

housing-process-steps

Robot Shipping & Packing

Teams attending the 2026 FIRST Championship can choose to either ship their robot using the FedEx voucher or hand-carry their robot to the event.

Once your team registers for FIRST Championship, you are sent an email asking if you want to bring your robot to the event yourself or ship it via the FedEx voucher. You must select one or the other, as there will be no ‘default’ option.

If you opt to hand carry your robot yourself, you must bring your 1 competition robot to FIRST Championship along with all your other pit equipment.
If you opt to ship your robot, we provide a FedEx shipping voucher and a ship-not-later than date. Teams must ship no later than that date or risk their robots not arriving at FIRST Championship in time for the event.
- Teams who chose to ship their robot must follow the Shipping Crate Instructions.
- Teams may not use a FedEx Voucher for pit equipment/other non-robot items. Using a voucher in this way is considered an abuse of the donor’s intent and generosity. If you are shipping using the FedEx voucher, only your robot, bumpers, and batteries may be in the crate. If you’d like to ship additional equipment, you must coordinate, ship, and pay for it on your own.

A big thanks to FedEx for once again sponsoring robot shipments to FIRST Championship!

Local Transportation

Details coming soon.

Pre-Event Communication

Details coming soon.

On-Site Championship Specifics

Find information specific to FIRST Tech Challenge. Keep scrolling for information that is relevant to all programs such as information on accessibility, lunches, and more!

Floor Plan

Floor Plan

Please see the layout of the FIRST Tech Challenge area on the 3rd floor of the George R. Brown Convention Center.

See larger image
Championship Divisions

Division Pits

Division Assignments will be available on this ftc-events page closer to the event. Each team is provided a designated pit space marked with their team number, where they can work on their robot. Each team’s pit comes with a power outlet and a table, and the pit is 120in x 120in x 120in (3.048m x 3.048m x 3.048m). Power in the pits will be US standard power which is 120-volt, 60 Hz standard outlets which are Type B sockets. International teams should plan to bring appropriate adapters to ensure they can charge their batteries.

Aisles must be kept clear for robot movement, safety, and queueing, so we suggest that team members watch the matches and cheer on the teams to prevent overflowing the pits and congregating in the aisles.

Safety glasses are recommended for all participants and any visitors in the pits and by the playing field. Teams are expected to bring safety glasses for all team members and any visitors they invite.
Judging & Awards

Judging & Awards

FIRST Tech Challenge celebrates the excitement of competition both on and off the field. Through our awards, we celebrate the FIRST Core Values which makes us so much #morethanrobots.

Pit Judging

Details coming soon.
Load In & Out Logistics

Load In & Out Logistics
Coming Soon

Load In

Details coming soon.

Load Out

Details coming soon.
Practice Fields

Practice Fields

There will be 14 Practice Fields in the Pit area, with 6 of those fields on risers.
Queuing

Queuing

Teams are responsible for knowing their match schedule and are expected to queue 20 minutes prior to their matches. Teams should plan for a minimum of 10 minutes to travel to move from their pit space to the playing fields. No audible announcements will be made for teams who are missing from their matches.

While FIRST will make every attempt to run matches per the published schedule, teams should pay close attention to the currently playing matches. There will be “now queuing” TVs located in several locations around the venue.

FIRST will be using the FRC Nexus application at the 2026 Championship Event. Nexus is a web-based application, developed by Evan Forbes, and has been widely used since 2023. Nexus is not owned or managed by FIRST, and personal data (PII) collected by Nexus is not covered by the FIRST Privacy Policy. Participants should always review the privacy practices of third-party sites and applications before submitting any personal data. The Nexus Privacy Policy can be found on their website.

Nexus allows teams to sign up and receive notifications of their upcoming matches, which helps teams manage their time and makes teams aware of potential field delays.

It's important to note that while all 6 divisions will be using Nexus, it is completely optional for teams to opt-in to receiving notifications. The pit displays will still be available and will show the current match and how far ahead/behind the field is running. Teams that choose to opt-in to receive notifications from Nexus are still responsible for making it to their matches on time. Matches will not be postponed or replayed because of a delayed or missed notification from Nexus.
Robot Services

Robot Services

Robot Services covers opportunities to get support and help during the event.

Inspection:

Information coming soon

Robot Service Center:

Information coming soon
da Vinci Tournament

da Vinci Tournament

The 6 Division winning alliances are known as Division Champions. These teams compete in the da Vinci Tournament.

Floor Plan

Please see the layout of the FIRST Tech Challenge area on the 3rd floor of the George R. Brown Convention Center.

See larger image

Division Pits

Division Assignments will be available on this ftc-events page closer to the event. Each team is provided a designated pit space marked with their team number, where they can work on their robot. Each team’s pit comes with a power outlet and a table, and the pit is 120in x 120in x 120in (3.048m x 3.048m x 3.048m). Power in the pits will be US standard power which is 120-volt, 60 Hz standard outlets which are Type B sockets. International teams should plan to bring appropriate adapters to ensure they can charge their batteries.

Aisles must be kept clear for robot movement, safety, and queueing, so we suggest that team members watch the matches and cheer on the teams to prevent overflowing the pits and congregating in the aisles.

Safety glasses are recommended for all participants and any visitors in the pits and by the playing field. Teams are expected to bring safety glasses for all team members and any visitors they invite.

Judging & Awards

FIRST Tech Challenge celebrates the excitement of competition both on and off the field. Through our awards, we celebrate the FIRST Core Values which makes us so much #morethanrobots.

Pit Judging

Details coming soon.

Load In & Out Logistics

Coming Soon

Load In

Details coming soon.

Load Out

Details coming soon.

Practice Fields

There will be 14 Practice Fields in the Pit area, with 6 of those fields on risers.

Queuing

Teams are responsible for knowing their match schedule and are expected to queue 20 minutes prior to their matches. Teams should plan for a minimum of 10 minutes to travel to move from their pit space to the playing fields. No audible announcements will be made for teams who are missing from their matches.

While FIRST will make every attempt to run matches per the published schedule, teams should pay close attention to the currently playing matches. There will be “now queuing” TVs located in several locations around the venue.

FIRST will be using the FRC Nexus application at the 2026 Championship Event. Nexus is a web-based application, developed by Evan Forbes, and has been widely used since 2023. Nexus is not owned or managed by FIRST, and personal data (PII) collected by Nexus is not covered by the FIRST Privacy Policy. Participants should always review the privacy practices of third-party sites and applications before submitting any personal data. The Nexus Privacy Policy can be found on their website.

Nexus allows teams to sign up and receive notifications of their upcoming matches, which helps teams manage their time and makes teams aware of potential field delays.

It's important to note that while all 6 divisions will be using Nexus, it is completely optional for teams to opt-in to receiving notifications. The pit displays will still be available and will show the current match and how far ahead/behind the field is running. Teams that choose to opt-in to receive notifications from Nexus are still responsible for making it to their matches on time. Matches will not be postponed or replayed because of a delayed or missed notification from Nexus.

Robot Services

Robot Services covers opportunities to get support and help during the event.

Inspection:

Information coming soon

Robot Service Center:

Information coming soon

da Vinci Tournament

The 6 Division winning alliances are known as Division Champions. These teams compete in the da Vinci Tournament.

Additional On-Site Information

Accessibility
Accessibility

Accessible Seating - Accessible seating is available for all fields. If your team needs accessible seating, please indicate this when you register for badging to help us with planning. There will be space for the person in need plus up to 3 additional members from their team. Due to space constraints, most of the team will need to sit in the reserved stands behind the accessible seating. If a student is the one in need, we ask that at least 1 adult sits in the reserved area.

Please see a volunteer for directions to seating.

Accessible Restrooms - Single stall restrooms are available at the George R. Brown Convention Center (GRB).  Locations of these restrooms can be found on the  FIRST Championship map located in the FIRST Championship App or in the maps above.

Lactation Pods - information coming soon

Prayer Rooms - information coming soon

Quiet Room - A Quiet Room will be available for those participants who need a quiet space to de-stress and take a break from the business of the competition. The Quiet Room location information is coming soon.

If you would like to donate items (things like playing cards, board games, stress balls, puzzles) for the room, please bring them to the Quiet Room.

The Quiet Room hours are:

Wednesday: 8 AM - 6 PM

Thursday: 8 AM - 6 PM

Friday: 8 AM - 6 PM

Saturday: 8 AM - 6 PM
Meals & Breaks

Meals & Breaks

Concessions

There are concessions located within the convention center, with many food options around the George R. Brown Convention Center as well. Local food trucks will be around Discovery Green. View a list of nearby restaurants.

The food kiosks at the George R Brown Convention Center are cashless and will only accept debit and credit cards.

Lunch Breaks

Each division is assigned a 1 hour 30-minute break for lunch on Thursday and Friday. Teams should listen carefully to announcements on each Division Field, as some matches are replayed during the Lunch Break.

On Saturday, all Division Fields will break from the end of the Division Field Playoffs until 1:30 PM.
Parking

Parking

Parking is available around the George R. Brown Convention Center, see Downtown Houston Parking webpage for more information.

Accessibility

Accessible Seating - Accessible seating is available for all fields. If your team needs accessible seating, please indicate this when you register for badging to help us with planning. There will be space for the person in need plus up to 3 additional members from their team. Due to space constraints, most of the team will need to sit in the reserved stands behind the accessible seating. If a student is the one in need, we ask that at least 1 adult sits in the reserved area.
- Please see a volunteer for directions to seating.

Accessible Restrooms - Single stall restrooms are available at the George R. Brown Convention Center (GRB).  Locations of these restrooms can be found on the  FIRST Championship map located in the FIRST Championship App or in the maps above.
Lactation Pods - information coming soon
Prayer Rooms - information coming soon
Quiet Room - A Quiet Room will be available for those participants who need a quiet space to de-stress and take a break from the business of the competition. The Quiet Room location information is coming soon.
- If you would like to donate items (things like playing cards, board games, stress balls, puzzles) for the room, please bring them to the Quiet Room.
- The Quiet Room hours are:
  - Wednesday: 8 AM - 6 PM
  - Thursday: 8 AM - 6 PM
  - Friday: 8 AM - 6 PM
  - Saturday: 8 AM - 6 PM

Meals & Breaks

Concessions

There are concessions located within the convention center, with many food options around the George R. Brown Convention Center as well. Local food trucks will be around Discovery Green. View a list of nearby restaurants.

The food kiosks at the George R Brown Convention Center are cashless and will only accept debit and credit cards.

Lunch Breaks

Each division is assigned a 1 hour 30-minute break for lunch on Thursday and Friday. Teams should listen carefully to announcements on each Division Field, as some matches are replayed during the Lunch Break.

On Saturday, all Division Fields will break from the end of the Division Field Playoffs until 1:30 PM.

Parking

Parking is available around the George R. Brown Convention Center, see Downtown Houston Parking webpage for more information.