FIRST Championship Information | FIRST Robotics Competition

FIRST Championship Information | FIRST Robotics Competition
FIRST
Robotics Competition
FIRST
Championship Information
The 2026
FIRST
Championship presented by BAE Systems will bring together 600
FIRST
Robotics Competition teams. This page is intended to be an overview on
FIRST
Championship details specific to the
FIRST
Robotics Competition program.
View Resource Library
View Cross-Program Championship Info
Teams can also reference the
FIRST
Robotics Competition Event Guide
for additional details.
FIRST
Robotics Competition Volunteers can also reference the
Volunteer Event Guide
for general volunteer information as well as the
FIRST
Robotics Competition Championship Volunteer webpage
for volunteer information specific to the
FIRST
Robotics Competition Program.
Preparing for
FIRST
Championship
Details on how teams earn eligibility to attend the
FIRST
Championship is available on the
Championship Eligibility Criteria webpage
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
for information that is applicable to all attendees such as information about badging, Conferences, Innovation Faire, and more!
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
Robot Shipping & Packing
Teams attending the 2026
FIRST
Championship can choose to
either
ship their robot using the FedEx voucher or hand-carry to the event.
Once you register 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. Teams can reference the
Robot Transportation page
for more information.
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.
Please note that during load-in, teams can only bring in 1 tote and all other items must be brought in through the loading dock. (See Load In below for more details)
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!
Please review the
Districts & Regional Events webpage
for suggestions on what to bring to each event.
Local Transportation
TxDOT Improvement Project Construction and Closures:
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is conducting construction
, which may impact travel around the convention center, East Downtown, and nearby highways (US 59/I-69). Road closures and detours may increase travel time to and from the George R. Brown Convention Center and surrounding areas.
Please note that the Campus Street Closures map does not include all NHHIP-related impacts. For the most up-to-date information on road closures and traffic conditions, we recommend checking both the
TxDOT project updates
and
Houston TranStar
before planning your travel.
George R. Brown Convention Center Parking, Maps, & Routes:
Navigate Houston's GRB in Downtown with ease! Find detailed
parking locations
driving directions
, &
transit options
. Plan your visit today!
Discounted Houston METRO Passes:
Did you know that the
Houston METRO
service offers discounted fare passes for
FIRST
Championship attendees? METRO passes are now available at a flat rate of
$10.00 USD per student
and
$20.00 USD per adult
. Passes offer unlimited access on all METRO local bus, light rail, Park & Ride, and 500 Downtown Direct (nonstop service between Bush IAH Airport, Downtown Houston, and Hobby Airport) services. Passes are valid for the entire week of Tuesday, April 28, through Sunday, May 3, 2026, rather than per individual fare!
Additionally, see the
FIRST
Championship webpage
for other details about transportation options, parking, and information about Houston.
On-Site Championship Specifics
Find information specific to
FIRST
Robotics Competition. Keep scrolling for information that is relevant to all programs such as information on accessibility, lunches, and more!
Agenda & Floor Plan
Agenda & Floor Plan
Teams can reference the
FIRST
Robotics Competition Public Schedule
for the most up to date schedule.
Teams should plan for wait lines entering the venue. We
highly recommend
that teams show up 10-15 minutes prior to wanting to enter the venue to ensure they have time to go through security and get to where they want to be.
Please see the images below for the layout of the
FIRST
Robotics Competition area on the 1st floor of the George R. Brown Convention Center. Click the photos to enlarge.
Wednesday Floor Plan
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Thursday & Friday Floor Plan
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Saturday Floor Plan
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Team Check In + Load In & Out Logistics
Team Check In + Load In & Out Logistics
Team Check In
All teams must register their team members within the ConferenceDirect system by the deadline listed in their email. Teams will also receive a confirmation email so they can verify all of the badges for their team and make any corrections before they are pre-printed. Teams that have entered their badges by 11:59 PM ET on April 26
th
will have the badges pre-printed. Any changes made after April 26
th
may not be pre-printed so please be sure to have them all in by April 26
th
! Teams who do not meet the deadline will need to go to the main registration desk in the lobby on the first floor to have badges printed on site. You read that right - we are pre-printing team’s name badges to help expedite check in.
Teams with pre-printed badges may pick them up Tuesday at the Central Registration Desk in the lobby (open until 6:00 PM). Badges can also be picked up Wednesday at the Team Check-In Desk in Hall C.
All teams must have an adult mentor from each team (lead coach 1 or 2 or any mentor) check in at the Team Check-In Desk in Hall C on Wednesday
(7:00 AM–6:00 PM) to receive their team registration packet, regardless of whether badges were picked up on Tuesday. Check-in times are Wednesday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. CT.
Notes:
Between 7:00 AM & 8:00 AM, teams can access the Team Check In Desk by going into the doors to the left of the main registration desk, as shown below, (when looking at the desk).
This year, the Team Check In desk will provide team member badges as well as a check in packet with information teams need for the event.
A staff member will be located at this door to help answer questions and allow 1-2 mentors in only. The rest of the team can wait in the lobby if needed.
FIRST
requires every Championship attendee to be registered and badged, including adult team mentors, youth team members, parents, family members, chaperones, etc. who are participating in the event. Attendee registration grants access to participant-only activities and increases the security of the event.
Beginning at 12:00 PM, all team members must have their badge in order to access the
FIRST
Robotics Competition area.
Consent and Release Forms
All participating team members and volunteers must complete the current season
FIRST
Consent and Release form prior to arrival.
Pronoun Ribbons
Available at Central Registration and program Pit Admins.
Load In
All teams must follow the Load-In process as outlined in the
Team Load-In Instructions
in order to bring materials into the Pits from their vehicles. Teams may only unload into the Loading Dock and not onto Chartres Street. Teams cannot leave vehicles unattended at any time.
During the Load-In timeframe for teams that shipped their robot, teams can bring in one tote (approximately Kit of Parts size), with the preference that it is hand carried. The tote must fit through a standard doorway. The tote should include all hand tools needed to open the team’s crate(s) and can include a corded or cordless power drill.
Teams should expect that all items will be searched upon entry into the front doors of the venue and should have the tote ready to be inspected (i.e. don’t have it zip-tied shut). Teams should not have items on the prohibited items list (per the
Event Rules
E109) in the tote. All other items must be brought in through the loading dock through the standard Load-In process.
Load Out
All teams must follow the Load-Out processes as outlined in the
Team Load Out Instructions
n order to carry out materials from the Pits from their vehicles. Additionally, Load Out rules change depending on how a team’s robot arrived to Championship.
Teams that shipped their robot to Championship must visit the
FIRST
Ship Desk prior to Load Out, regardless of if they are shipping their robot home or will change to Hand-Carry home. The desk is open Thursday through Saturday. If you come early, you can skip the long Saturday line!
Teams that Hand-Carry their robot to Championship do not need to visit the
FIRST
Ship Desk. However, these teams must still visit the Load Out Desk once ready to leave the venue. Note: Hall A Load Out Desk is located in Hall A, while Hall E Load Out Desk is located in Hall D.
Please be respectful of other teams and the public on your departure, leave your area clean and be safe. Once your team has finished competing in the matches on Saturday, have a Mentor visit the Load Out Desk in the same Hall as your team's pit. The mentor will be given an Access Code which can be given to the team vehicle's driver. The driver may then queue to the loading dock on Chartres Street, and once inside the loading dock can let the team know to bring all materials out to load.
Vehicles without access codes will not be allowed to queue.
Use of 53' Trailers for Load In & Load Out
Groups of teams may pool their resources to transport their pit materials and/or robot with a 53’ Trailer. All groups must apply for this allowance and receive authorization to enter the Loading Dock. Unauthorized 53’ Trailers will not be allowed to enter the Loading Dock – no exceptions.
Rules, guidelines, and how to apply can be found in the
Community 53' Trailer Option Information document
Use of 26' Box Trucks for Load In & Load Out
Groups of teams may pool their resources to transport their pit materials and/or robot with a 26’ Box Truck. All groups must apply for this allowance and receive authorization to enter the Loading Dock. Unauthorized 26’ Box Trucks will not be allowed to enter the Loading Dock – no exceptions.
Rules, guidelines, and how to apply can be found in the
26' Box Truck Option Information document
Pit Maps
Hall A Pits
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Hall E Pits
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sponsored by Rockwell Automation, Inc.
Archimedes
Archimedes was a mathematician, physicist, engineer, astronomer, and philosopher. In theoretical mechanics, Archimedes is responsible for fundamental theorems concerning the centers of gravity of plane figures and solids, and he is famous for his theorem on the weight of a body immersed in a liquid, called Archimedes’ Principle.
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sponsored by The Argosy Foundation
Curie
Marie Curie was a Polish physicist and chemist who did ground-breaking research about radioactivity. She was the first woman to have won the Nobel Prize and the first person to have won the Nobel Prize twice, for developing the theory of radioactivity, and for discovering new elements polonium and radium.
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sponsored by BAE Systems, Inc.
Daly
Marie Daly was an American biochemist, and the first African-American woman in the United States to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry. Over almost 40 years, she did important research about histones, protein synthesis, cholesterol and hypertension and creatine.
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sponsored by Mouser Electronics
Galileo
Galileo Galilei was a philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician. He made many important contributions to our understanding of this world. One such contribution is improving the design of the telescope, allowing him to make meaningful discoveries that helped prove the Copernican hypothesis.
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sponsored by GE Aerospace
Hopper
Grace Hopper was an American mathematician and a rear admiral in the US NAVY. She was a pioneer in developing computer technology and even coined the term bug to refer to unexplained computer failures. Additionally, she helped to devise the first commercial electronic computer.
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sponsored by Gene Haas Foundation
Johnson
Katherine Johnson, an African American woman, worked as a mathematician who worked at NASA. She was responsible for calculating orbital mechanics which were critical for first and later US crewed spaceflights. Known as the "human calculator" she was a master at complex manual calculations and pioneered the use of computers for this task.
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sponsored by Qualcomm Incorporated
Milstein
Cesar Milstein was an Argentine biochemist researching in the field of antibodies. In 1984 he was a co-winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the production of monoclonal antibodies. His discovery allowed mass creation of these antibodies to allow for diagnosis and treatment of many diseases including some cancers.
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sponsored by NASA
Newton
Isaac Newton was an English physicist and mathematician. He’s well known for his discovery of the three laws of motion, the original discovery of calculus, and laying the foundation for modern physical optics.
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Division Pit Details
Di
vision Pits
Division Assignments will be available on this
frc-events page
closer to the event. Each team is provided with 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). International teams should remember to bring international adapters for any power tools, etc.
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 required 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.
Food is not permitted in the Pit Areas.
See the sections below for a preview of layouts by each pit division. Click the photos to enlarge. Closer to the event, photos will be updated to include team numbers and pit assignments in the maps.
Division Playoff Pits
There will be assigned pits for  Division playoff matches closer to the fields to be shared by 4 team alliances. Division Playoff Pits are 180in x 180in (4.572m x 4.572m). Alliances must work together to share the space accordingly including tools and equipment. Teams may move to these spaces immediately after Alliance Selection.
During the playoff rounds, extra team members are often needed to move the team robot from the pit station to the queuing area and playing field. Each team on an Alliance can have 3 additional Pit Crew members to help with necessary robot repairs and maintenance. These buttons provide access to the field. These Pit Crew members must stay with the team and robot in queue and during matches they may stay with the team’s robot cart in the cart box with the technician.
FIRST
distributes the buttons to Alliance Captains during the alliance selection process on the Division Fields. Each Alliance Captain must set a logistics plan for button distribution prior to the pairings to distribute the buttons to the Pit Crew members.
Judging & Awards
Judging & Awards
FIRST
Robotics Competition 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
Judges come around in the pit to interview teams for the Judged Awards just like they do at local District or Regional Competitions. Judges may interview and observe teams in the Pit, on the playing field, and other areas of the event. Visit the
FIRST
Robotics Competition Awards page
for a full description of the awards. To be eligible for any award, teams will be required to follow
FIRST
Core Values, demonstrate
Gracious Professionalism
, and implement and follow appropriate safety practices.
Teams are eligible for all awards presented at
FIRST
Championship with the exception of the
FIRST
Impact Award (which requires winning it at the Regional or District Championship level to be eligible) and the Rookie Awards (which only rookies are eligible to win).
Judges are encouraged to take team provided materials and review them as time allows. Materials are not typically returned to teams so teams should not give them the only copy. There are no restrictions on page limits of documents but please be aware that judges are not expected to review every piece of material handed to them during the event and teams are encouraged to include the most relevant information in their interview with the judges.
Award Ceremonies
Awards for each field will be presented in between the playoff matches. The entire team will be invited to the field to receive an award and take a team picture if they like (team must take the photo themselves).
The Volunteer of the Year Award will be announced on Friday morning as part of the Opening Ceremonies.
The
FIRST
Impact Award Finalists will be announced Saturday Morning prior to Alliance Selection.
The
FIRST
Impact Award and Woodie Flowers Award winner will be announced during Einstein.
FIRST
Impact Award Interviews
The
FIRST
Impact Award interview schedule will be posted in each Pit Admin on Wednesday.
FIRST
Impact Award Interviews will be on Thursday and Friday.
There are four
FIRST
Impact Award Interview rooms on-site located in Rooms 380A-D, located on the 3
rd
floor of the building. Swapping interview times is not encouraged, but if you must change your time, switch with a team (once you have their consent) that is assigned to the same interview room as you and notify Pit Admin. Pit Admin must approve the change and they will work with the judges to keep them apprised of changes.
Teams can reference the
Hall of Fame webpage
to see what other teams who have won the Championship
FIRST
Impact Award have accomplished.
Hall of Fame Booth
The Hall of Fame Booth honors previous
FIRST
Robotics Competition Championship
FIRST
Impact Award Winners. The
FIRST
Impact Award represents the spirit of
FIRST
and remains
FIRST
Robotics Competition’s most prestigious award.
The Hall of Fame Booth is part of the Innovation Faire on the second floor. The Hall of Fame Booth is open Wednesday - Friday from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
The Hall of Fame booth also has the
FIRST
Impact Award Clock on display for viewing. This is a great opportunity for you to interact with some of the top
FIRST
Robotics Competition teams and learn what it takes to become a Hall of Fame team!
Practice/Test Areas
Practice/Test Areas
There will be 2 complete Practice Areas in each Pit area, as well as several carpeted Test Areas. The Practice/ Test Areas are open:
Wednesday 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Thursday 7:15 AM - 6:15 PM
Friday 7:15 AM - 6:15 PM
The Practice/Test Areas are available on Saturday.
Please reference the
Championship Practice/Test Area Overview
for full details. This packet is provided in the team's registration packets as well.
We recognize that teams shipping their robot are at a disadvantage as they cannot work on their robot after it ships. To help level the playing field, teams that ship their robot using the FedEx voucher receive:
a fast pass that allows the team to skip the line one time on the Test Area any day they are open.
a fast pass that allows the teams to skip the line one time on either Practice Area any day they are open.
Note: Fast passes must be used prior to one hour before the day’s scheduled closing time, i.e. prior to 6:00 PM on Wednesday and prior to 5:15 PM on Thursday and Friday.
Queuing
Queuing
Teams are responsible for knowing their match times and are expected to queue 30 minutes prior to their matches without the help of an announcer. Teams need a minimum of 10 minutes to travel from their pit space to the playing fields. Please leave extra time to get back and forth between the pits and playing fields.
For qualification matches,
FIRST
will make every effort to keep close to the published schedules. Keep close watch of the pit display for any moment-to-moment changes. There will be no audio queuing.
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 8 competition fields 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:
Inspection opens at 10:00am on Wednesday. Each Division has an inspection station and teams should go to the Inspection Station in their Division. Teams should start the inspection process as soon as possible to help every team get through it in a timely manner. The inspection process does not need to happen all at once and we encourage teams to weigh and measure their robot early in case any issues are identified. During inspection, if your inspector is unable to explain a decision or if you think there is an error, you can (and should!) ask for the Lead Robot Inspector (LRI) to assist.
Robots must pass inspection prior to accessing the practice fields and competing in Qualification Matches which begin on Thursday morning.
Robot Service Center:
The Robot Service Center, located in the back of Halls B, C, & D, is an opportunity for you to seek and get support from Suppliers during the competition (e.g. technical help, spare parts, or assistance with repairs).
Electrical & Software Assistance
- Teams can request general help from Control Systems Advisors for troubleshooting software or electrical issues by submitting a request online at
www.ni.com/frcsupport
or by stopping by the NI booth in the Robot Service Center. There are also representatives from REV Robotics and CTR Electronics located in the Robot Service Center that can help troubleshoot issues with specific devices.
Machine Shop
- There is a machine shop, sponsored by NASA, located in the back of Hall C near the Spare Parts Tables.
Spare Parts
- There is a spare parts table in the back of Hall C and parts are available on a limited basis.
Team Service Center
We’re thrilled to have the Team Service Center back at
FIRST
Championship again! The Team Service Center is a team-run organization with the mission to help all teams. Competing in
FIRST
Robotics Competition is hard and they are here to help teams overcome challenges and get robots back out on the field. At the
FIRST
Championship, they will be providing spare parts, tool loans, and technical assistance. Teams 254 and 1678 will manage and run the effort, with participation from selected other teams. For those familiar with CheesyCare or Citrus Service, the Team Service Center is an expanded version of these groups, scaled to better meet the needs of teams at the
FIRST
Robotics Competition Championship.
The Team Service Center will have stations at both the Hall A and Hall E pit areas. Teams seeking parts or technical support may come to the location near their pit for help. Many parts and materials will be provided free of charge. Tools will be loaned and must be returned when work is complete to allow other teams access.
The Team Service Center looks forward to assisting many teams in having a successful
FIRST
Championship!
Einstein Tournament
Einstein Tournament
The 8 Division winning alliances are known as Division Champions. These teams compete in the Einstein Tournament. The tournament will be a Double Elimination Tournament as described in Section 13.4 of the
Game Manual
Einstein Field/Floor Access
Beginning at ~1:00 PM on Saturday, additional security measures are in place for the Einstein fields. Anyone within the area without proper access will be asked to leave. Immediately following Division Playoff Matches, Division winning alliance drive teams and robots need to report to the Einstein Mass & Energy fields (Galileo & Johnson Fields). A special access badge is issued to teams.
Due to space constraints and limitations, Team Media are not allowed on the field before or during Einstein Matches.
Within the Einstein area, accessible seating will be restricted to only the person in need + one friend and is limited to first come, first served. Strollers will not be allowed within the Einstein perimeter due to space constraints. Those who do get seats within the Einstein area will be given a wristband. Those who are interested may report to the main designated entrance (notated with a gold star below) to receive a wristband for access starting at 1:00 PM.
Outside of the Einstein Area, teams who need accessible seating may use the additional accessible bleachers on each field.
Einstein Tournament Competing Teams Seating Area
When the Division alliance winners are announced, each team receives 40 wristbands to designate special seating for the Einstein Tournament. Division Champion alliance teams are seated in reserved bleachers. Teams obtain the wristbands from the field Volunteer Coordinator. Please arrive at reserved seats no later than 1:45 PM.
Note: any open areas in the bleachers after 2:00 PM become open to the public for seating.
Beginning at 12:30pm on Saturday (or at the conclusion of the Division Playoffs Matches), we will be clearing the lobby side bleachers - Mass (Energy) and Energy (Galileo) - of all spectators and team members. Anyone sitting in these sections will be asked to move. These sections are reserved teams competing in Einstein Tournament and
FIRST
Impact Award Finalists.
FIRST
Impact Award Finalist Seating Area
The 6
FIRST
Impact Award Finalist teams receive 40 wristbands for team members to sit in reserved sections during the Einstein Playoff Matches & Closing Celebration.
Agenda & Floor Plan
Teams can reference the
FIRST
Robotics Competition Public Schedule
for the most up to date schedule.
Teams should plan for wait lines entering the venue. We
highly recommend
that teams show up 10-15 minutes prior to wanting to enter the venue to ensure they have time to go through security and get to where they want to be.
Please see the images below for the layout of the
FIRST
Robotics Competition area on the 1st floor of the George R. Brown Convention Center. Click the photos to enlarge.
Wednesday Floor Plan
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Thursday & Friday Floor Plan
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Saturday Floor Plan
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Team Check In + Load In & Out Logistics
Team Check In
All teams must register their team members within the ConferenceDirect system by the deadline listed in their email. Teams will also receive a confirmation email so they can verify all of the badges for their team and make any corrections before they are pre-printed. Teams that have entered their badges by 11:59 PM ET on April 26
th
will have the badges pre-printed. Any changes made after April 26
th
may not be pre-printed so please be sure to have them all in by April 26
th
! Teams who do not meet the deadline will need to go to the main registration desk in the lobby on the first floor to have badges printed on site. You read that right - we are pre-printing team’s name badges to help expedite check in.
Teams with pre-printed badges may pick them up Tuesday at the Central Registration Desk in the lobby (open until 6:00 PM). Badges can also be picked up Wednesday at the Team Check-In Desk in Hall C.
All teams must have an adult mentor from each team (lead coach 1 or 2 or any mentor) check in at the Team Check-In Desk in Hall C on Wednesday
(7:00 AM–6:00 PM) to receive their team registration packet, regardless of whether badges were picked up on Tuesday. Check-in times are Wednesday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. CT.
Notes:
Between 7:00 AM & 8:00 AM, teams can access the Team Check In Desk by going into the doors to the left of the main registration desk, as shown below, (when looking at the desk).
This year, the Team Check In desk will provide team member badges as well as a check in packet with information teams need for the event.
A staff member will be located at this door to help answer questions and allow 1-2 mentors in only. The rest of the team can wait in the lobby if needed.
FIRST
requires every Championship attendee to be registered and badged, including adult team mentors, youth team members, parents, family members, chaperones, etc. who are participating in the event. Attendee registration grants access to participant-only activities and increases the security of the event.
Beginning at 12:00 PM, all team members must have their badge in order to access the
FIRST
Robotics Competition area.
Consent and Release Forms
All participating team members and volunteers must complete the current season
FIRST
Consent and Release form prior to arrival.
Pronoun Ribbons
Available at Central Registration and program Pit Admins.
Load In
All teams must follow the Load-In process as outlined in the
Team Load-In Instructions
in order to bring materials into the Pits from their vehicles. Teams may only unload into the Loading Dock and not onto Chartres Street. Teams cannot leave vehicles unattended at any time.
During the Load-In timeframe for teams that shipped their robot, teams can bring in one tote (approximately Kit of Parts size), with the preference that it is hand carried. The tote must fit through a standard doorway. The tote should include all hand tools needed to open the team’s crate(s) and can include a corded or cordless power drill.
Teams should expect that all items will be searched upon entry into the front doors of the venue and should have the tote ready to be inspected (i.e. don’t have it zip-tied shut). Teams should not have items on the prohibited items list (per the
Event Rules
E109) in the tote. All other items must be brought in through the loading dock through the standard Load-In process.
Load Out
All teams must follow the Load-Out processes as outlined in the
Team Load Out Instructions
n order to carry out materials from the Pits from their vehicles. Additionally, Load Out rules change depending on how a team’s robot arrived to Championship.
Teams that shipped their robot to Championship must visit the
FIRST
Ship Desk prior to Load Out, regardless of if they are shipping their robot home or will change to Hand-Carry home. The desk is open Thursday through Saturday. If you come early, you can skip the long Saturday line!
Teams that Hand-Carry their robot to Championship do not need to visit the
FIRST
Ship Desk. However, these teams must still visit the Load Out Desk once ready to leave the venue. Note: Hall A Load Out Desk is located in Hall A, while Hall E Load Out Desk is located in Hall D.
Please be respectful of other teams and the public on your departure, leave your area clean and be safe. Once your team has finished competing in the matches on Saturday, have a Mentor visit the Load Out Desk in the same Hall as your team's pit. The mentor will be given an Access Code which can be given to the team vehicle's driver. The driver may then queue to the loading dock on Chartres Street, and once inside the loading dock can let the team know to bring all materials out to load.
Vehicles without access codes will not be allowed to queue.
Use of 53' Trailers for Load In & Load Out
Groups of teams may pool their resources to transport their pit materials and/or robot with a 53’ Trailer. All groups must apply for this allowance and receive authorization to enter the Loading Dock. Unauthorized 53’ Trailers will not be allowed to enter the Loading Dock – no exceptions.
Rules, guidelines, and how to apply can be found in the
Community 53' Trailer Option Information document
Use of 26' Box Trucks for Load In & Load Out
Groups of teams may pool their resources to transport their pit materials and/or robot with a 26’ Box Truck. All groups must apply for this allowance and receive authorization to enter the Loading Dock. Unauthorized 26’ Box Trucks will not be allowed to enter the Loading Dock – no exceptions.
Rules, guidelines, and how to apply can be found in the
26' Box Truck Option Information document
Hall A Pits
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Hall E Pits
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sponsored by Rockwell Automation, Inc.
Archimedes
Archimedes was a mathematician, physicist, engineer, astronomer, and philosopher. In theoretical mechanics, Archimedes is responsible for fundamental theorems concerning the centers of gravity of plane figures and solids, and he is famous for his theorem on the weight of a body immersed in a liquid, called Archimedes’ Principle.
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sponsored by The Argosy Foundation
Curie
Marie Curie was a Polish physicist and chemist who did ground-breaking research about radioactivity. She was the first woman to have won the Nobel Prize and the first person to have won the Nobel Prize twice, for developing the theory of radioactivity, and for discovering new elements polonium and radium.
Enlarge Image
sponsored by BAE Systems, Inc.
Daly
Marie Daly was an American biochemist, and the first African-American woman in the United States to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry. Over almost 40 years, she did important research about histones, protein synthesis, cholesterol and hypertension and creatine.
Enlarge Image
sponsored by Mouser Electronics
Galileo
Galileo Galilei was a philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician. He made many important contributions to our understanding of this world. One such contribution is improving the design of the telescope, allowing him to make meaningful discoveries that helped prove the Copernican hypothesis.
Enlarge Image
sponsored by GE Aerospace
Hopper
Grace Hopper was an American mathematician and a rear admiral in the US NAVY. She was a pioneer in developing computer technology and even coined the term bug to refer to unexplained computer failures. Additionally, she helped to devise the first commercial electronic computer.
Enlarge Image
sponsored by Gene Haas Foundation
Johnson
Katherine Johnson, an African American woman, worked as a mathematician who worked at NASA. She was responsible for calculating orbital mechanics which were critical for first and later US crewed spaceflights. Known as the "human calculator" she was a master at complex manual calculations and pioneered the use of computers for this task.
Enlarge Image
sponsored by Qualcomm Incorporated
Milstein
Cesar Milstein was an Argentine biochemist researching in the field of antibodies. In 1984 he was a co-winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the production of monoclonal antibodies. His discovery allowed mass creation of these antibodies to allow for diagnosis and treatment of many diseases including some cancers.
Enlarge Image
sponsored by NASA
Newton
Isaac Newton was an English physicist and mathematician. He’s well known for his discovery of the three laws of motion, the original discovery of calculus, and laying the foundation for modern physical optics.
Enlarge Image
Di
vision Pits
Division Assignments will be available on this
frc-events page
closer to the event. Each team is provided with 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). International teams should remember to bring international adapters for any power tools, etc.
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 required 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.
Food is not permitted in the Pit Areas.
See the sections below for a preview of layouts by each pit division. Click the photos to enlarge. Closer to the event, photos will be updated to include team numbers and pit assignments in the maps.
Division Playoff Pits
There will be assigned pits for  Division playoff matches closer to the fields to be shared by 4 team alliances. Division Playoff Pits are 180in x 180in (4.572m x 4.572m). Alliances must work together to share the space accordingly including tools and equipment. Teams may move to these spaces immediately after Alliance Selection.
During the playoff rounds, extra team members are often needed to move the team robot from the pit station to the queuing area and playing field. Each team on an Alliance can have 3 additional Pit Crew members to help with necessary robot repairs and maintenance. These buttons provide access to the field. These Pit Crew members must stay with the team and robot in queue and during matches they may stay with the team’s robot cart in the cart box with the technician.
FIRST
distributes the buttons to Alliance Captains during the alliance selection process on the Division Fields. Each Alliance Captain must set a logistics plan for button distribution prior to the pairings to distribute the buttons to the Pit Crew members.
Judging & Awards
FIRST
Robotics Competition 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
Judges come around in the pit to interview teams for the Judged Awards just like they do at local District or Regional Competitions. Judges may interview and observe teams in the Pit, on the playing field, and other areas of the event. Visit the
FIRST
Robotics Competition Awards page
for a full description of the awards. To be eligible for any award, teams will be required to follow
FIRST
Core Values, demonstrate
Gracious Professionalism
, and implement and follow appropriate safety practices.
Teams are eligible for all awards presented at
FIRST
Championship with the exception of the
FIRST
Impact Award (which requires winning it at the Regional or District Championship level to be eligible) and the Rookie Awards (which only rookies are eligible to win).
Judges are encouraged to take team provided materials and review them as time allows. Materials are not typically returned to teams so teams should not give them the only copy. There are no restrictions on page limits of documents but please be aware that judges are not expected to review every piece of material handed to them during the event and teams are encouraged to include the most relevant information in their interview with the judges.
Award Ceremonies
Awards for each field will be presented in between the playoff matches. The entire team will be invited to the field to receive an award and take a team picture if they like (team must take the photo themselves).
The Volunteer of the Year Award will be announced on Friday morning as part of the Opening Ceremonies.
The
FIRST
Impact Award Finalists will be announced Saturday Morning prior to Alliance Selection.
The
FIRST
Impact Award and Woodie Flowers Award winner will be announced during Einstein.
FIRST
Impact Award Interviews
The
FIRST
Impact Award interview schedule will be posted in each Pit Admin on Wednesday.
FIRST
Impact Award Interviews will be on Thursday and Friday.
There are four
FIRST
Impact Award Interview rooms on-site located in Rooms 380A-D, located on the 3
rd
floor of the building. Swapping interview times is not encouraged, but if you must change your time, switch with a team (once you have their consent) that is assigned to the same interview room as you and notify Pit Admin. Pit Admin must approve the change and they will work with the judges to keep them apprised of changes.
Teams can reference the
Hall of Fame webpage
to see what other teams who have won the Championship
FIRST
Impact Award have accomplished.
Hall of Fame Booth
The Hall of Fame Booth honors previous
FIRST
Robotics Competition Championship
FIRST
Impact Award Winners. The
FIRST
Impact Award represents the spirit of
FIRST
and remains
FIRST
Robotics Competition’s most prestigious award.
The Hall of Fame Booth is part of the Innovation Faire on the second floor. The Hall of Fame Booth is open Wednesday - Friday from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
The Hall of Fame booth also has the
FIRST
Impact Award Clock on display for viewing. This is a great opportunity for you to interact with some of the top
FIRST
Robotics Competition teams and learn what it takes to become a Hall of Fame team!
Practice/Test Areas
There will be 2 complete Practice Areas in each Pit area, as well as several carpeted Test Areas. The Practice/ Test Areas are open:
Wednesday 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Thursday 7:15 AM - 6:15 PM
Friday 7:15 AM - 6:15 PM
The Practice/Test Areas are available on Saturday.
Please reference the
Championship Practice/Test Area Overview
for full details. This packet is provided in the team's registration packets as well.
We recognize that teams shipping their robot are at a disadvantage as they cannot work on their robot after it ships. To help level the playing field, teams that ship their robot using the FedEx voucher receive:
a fast pass that allows the team to skip the line one time on the Test Area any day they are open.
a fast pass that allows the teams to skip the line one time on either Practice Area any day they are open.
Note: Fast passes must be used prior to one hour before the day’s scheduled closing time, i.e. prior to 6:00 PM on Wednesday and prior to 5:15 PM on Thursday and Friday.
Queuing
Teams are responsible for knowing their match times and are expected to queue 30 minutes prior to their matches without the help of an announcer. Teams need a minimum of 10 minutes to travel from their pit space to the playing fields. Please leave extra time to get back and forth between the pits and playing fields.
For qualification matches,
FIRST
will make every effort to keep close to the published schedules. Keep close watch of the pit display for any moment-to-moment changes. There will be no audio queuing.
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 8 competition fields 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:
Inspection opens at 10:00am on Wednesday. Each Division has an inspection station and teams should go to the Inspection Station in their Division. Teams should start the inspection process as soon as possible to help every team get through it in a timely manner. The inspection process does not need to happen all at once and we encourage teams to weigh and measure their robot early in case any issues are identified. During inspection, if your inspector is unable to explain a decision or if you think there is an error, you can (and should!) ask for the Lead Robot Inspector (LRI) to assist.
Robots must pass inspection prior to accessing the practice fields and competing in Qualification Matches which begin on Thursday morning.
Robot Service Center:
The Robot Service Center, located in the back of Halls B, C, & D, is an opportunity for you to seek and get support from Suppliers during the competition (e.g. technical help, spare parts, or assistance with repairs).
Electrical & Software Assistance
- Teams can request general help from Control Systems Advisors for troubleshooting software or electrical issues by submitting a request online at
www.ni.com/frcsupport
or by stopping by the NI booth in the Robot Service Center. There are also representatives from REV Robotics and CTR Electronics located in the Robot Service Center that can help troubleshoot issues with specific devices.
Machine Shop
- There is a machine shop, sponsored by NASA, located in the back of Hall C near the Spare Parts Tables.
Spare Parts
- There is a spare parts table in the back of Hall C and parts are available on a limited basis.
Team Service Center
We’re thrilled to have the Team Service Center back at
FIRST
Championship again! The Team Service Center is a team-run organization with the mission to help all teams. Competing in
FIRST
Robotics Competition is hard and they are here to help teams overcome challenges and get robots back out on the field. At the
FIRST
Championship, they will be providing spare parts, tool loans, and technical assistance. Teams 254 and 1678 will manage and run the effort, with participation from selected other teams. For those familiar with CheesyCare or Citrus Service, the Team Service Center is an expanded version of these groups, scaled to better meet the needs of teams at the
FIRST
Robotics Competition Championship.
The Team Service Center will have stations at both the Hall A and Hall E pit areas. Teams seeking parts or technical support may come to the location near their pit for help. Many parts and materials will be provided free of charge. Tools will be loaned and must be returned when work is complete to allow other teams access.
The Team Service Center looks forward to assisting many teams in having a successful
FIRST
Championship!
Einstein Tournament
The 8 Division winning alliances are known as Division Champions. These teams compete in the Einstein Tournament. The tournament will be a Double Elimination Tournament as described in Section 13.4 of the
Game Manual
Einstein Field/Floor Access
Beginning at ~1:00 PM on Saturday, additional security measures are in place for the Einstein fields. Anyone within the area without proper access will be asked to leave. Immediately following Division Playoff Matches, Division winning alliance drive teams and robots need to report to the Einstein Mass & Energy fields (Galileo & Johnson Fields). A special access badge is issued to teams.
Due to space constraints and limitations, Team Media are not allowed on the field before or during Einstein Matches.
Within the Einstein area, accessible seating will be restricted to only the person in need + one friend and is limited to first come, first served. Strollers will not be allowed within the Einstein perimeter due to space constraints. Those who do get seats within the Einstein area will be given a wristband. Those who are interested may report to the main designated entrance (notated with a gold star below) to receive a wristband for access starting at 1:00 PM.
Outside of the Einstein Area, teams who need accessible seating may use the additional accessible bleachers on each field.
Einstein Tournament Competing Teams Seating Area
When the Division alliance winners are announced, each team receives 40 wristbands to designate special seating for the Einstein Tournament. Division Champion alliance teams are seated in reserved bleachers. Teams obtain the wristbands from the field Volunteer Coordinator. Please arrive at reserved seats no later than 1:45 PM.
Note: any open areas in the bleachers after 2:00 PM become open to the public for seating.
Beginning at 12:30pm on Saturday (or at the conclusion of the Division Playoffs Matches), we will be clearing the lobby side bleachers - Mass (Energy) and Energy (Galileo) - of all spectators and team members. Anyone sitting in these sections will be asked to move. These sections are reserved teams competing in Einstein Tournament and
FIRST
Impact Award Finalists.
FIRST
Impact Award Finalist Seating Area
The 6
FIRST
Impact Award Finalist teams receive 40 wristbands for team members to sit in reserved sections during the Einstein Playoff Matches & Closing Celebration.
Additional On-Site Information
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 be aware that anyone sitting in the Accessible Seating area must wear safety glasses and have closed-toe shoes. Please see a volunteer for directions to seating.
Please see the Einstein Tournament section for information on Accessible Seating during Einstein
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
-Two
Mamava lactation pods
are conveniently located on the North and South side of Mezzanine Level 2. Nursing parents can access these private, clean, and comfortable spaces to breastfeed or pump using the
free Mamava app
available on
the Apple iOS Store or Google Play Store.
Prayer Rooms
- There will be two prayer rooms available for anyone wishing to observe religious practice onsite during event hours. These rooms are located across the skybridge in the Marriott Marquis Hotel; Montgomery A&B.
Quiet Rooms
A Quiet Room is available for those participants who need a decreased noise space.  The Quiet Room is located on Level 3 of the George R. Brown Convention Center, room 362CF.
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
Health & Safety
Health & Safety
All children under 12 must always be accompanied by an adult in the Pit area. Be aware of apparel and hair safety issues while working on your robot. Sandals, open-toed shoes, and Crocs are not allowed in the Pits, fields, or other teamwork areas. Wear relaxed, fun and appropriate clothing; remember, you represent your team and
FIRST
. Body paint in lieu of clothes, bathing suits and other revealing clothes are not appropriate. Face coverings and vaccinations are not required but are recommended. If you are feeling ill, please do not attend the event.
Enhanced Security Measures
As part of our continued commitment to attendee safety, each year we re-evaluate the safety measures we instate at the Championship. The perimeter of the screening area will expand this year to include parts of Discovery Green and Avenidas de las Americas. Security entrances will all be located at these outdoor perimeters, along with the previous GRB/Hotel walkway entrances. There will be metal detection screening at all event entrances. For any attendee that does alert when going through the detectors, they will then move to a secondary screening line. We expect this process to be similar in entry time as our previous process.
Additionally, we will be using canine dog teams during team load in for vehicle screening at the loading docks.
These enhanced security measures are part of our ongoing commitment to providing a safe and welcoming environment. Please make sure that you read through the prohibited items list and follow the directions of event staff to assist in a quicker entry and thank you for your cooperation in making this event a great experience for everyone!
Mascots
Please keep safety in mind and make sure that mascot and team costumes are safe for the wearer as to vision and movement and are comfortable and cool enough to prevent fainting and dehydration. Mascots are not allowed on the playing field.
Medical Incidents
FIRST
requires that physical injuries and medical problems, however slight, be documented and reported to the party conducting the event or his or her designee and to
FIRST
Headquarters within 48 hours of the occurrence. Medical incidents can be reported electronically from any Wi-Fi enabled device using the Medical Incident Form on the
FIRST
Reporting Portal
. Pit Admins also have tablets that can be utilized to report incidents to
FIRST
if needed.
Reporting Youth Protection and Youth Safety Concerns
The Youth Protection Concern form on the
FIRST
Reporting Portal
can be used to report concerns related to Youth Protection and Youth Safety that do not involve medical incidents or physical injuries, such as bullying, harassment or inappropriate conduct involving or impacting youth participants.
Note
: Feedback about issues such as game play, rule changes, awards, and event management (other than medical/safety issues) are considered program related concerns and not youth protection issues and should be shared with
FIRST
via
customerservice@firstinspires.org
. Please note that match results and award results are final and that we will not review match videos.
Supporting Mental Health at
FIRST
Championship
Taking care of your mental well-being is just as important as your team’s performance on the field. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or need someone to talk to, confidential counseling services are available on-site for adults and youth participants.
The Harris Center for Mental Health
will provide trained counselors who will offer confidential, on-site counseling services to
FIRST
participants Thu-Sat from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
To Schedule an Appointment
, Scan the QR code or complete this form -
Sign Up Here
Walk-Ins Welcome (Based on Availability)
If you have questions, email
safety@firstinspires.org
Note about
Confidentiality
: All appointments are private, and the limited data collected via the form is used only for scheduling. It will be deleted after the event.
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. Please see the below schedule for Thursday & Friday by field.
On Saturday, all Division Fields will break from the end of the Division Field Playoffs until 2:00 PM
Divisions
Day
Lunch Break Time
Archimedes
Thursday
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Friday
12:45 PM – 2:15 PM
Curie
Thursday
11:15 AM – 12:45 PM
Friday
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Daly
Thursday
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Friday
12:15 PM – 1:45 PM
Galileo
Thursday
11:45 AM – 1:15 PM
Friday
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Hopper
Thursday
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Friday
11:45 AM – 1:15 PM
Johnson
Thursday
12:15 PM – 1:45 PM
Friday
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Milstein
Thursday
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Friday
11:15 AM – 12:45 PM
Newton
Thursday
12:45 PM – 2:15 PM
Friday
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Parking
Parking
Parking is available around the George R. Brown Convention Center, see
Downtown Houston Parking webpage
for more information.
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 be aware that anyone sitting in the Accessible Seating area must wear safety glasses and have closed-toe shoes. Please see a volunteer for directions to seating.
Please see the Einstein Tournament section for information on Accessible Seating during Einstein
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
-Two
Mamava lactation pods
are conveniently located on the North and South side of Mezzanine Level 2. Nursing parents can access these private, clean, and comfortable spaces to breastfeed or pump using the
free Mamava app
available on
the Apple iOS Store or Google Play Store.
Prayer Rooms
- There will be two prayer rooms available for anyone wishing to observe religious practice onsite during event hours. These rooms are located across the skybridge in the Marriott Marquis Hotel; Montgomery A&B.
Quiet Rooms
A Quiet Room is available for those participants who need a decreased noise space.  The Quiet Room is located on Level 3 of the George R. Brown Convention Center, room 362CF.
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
Health & Safety
All children under 12 must always be accompanied by an adult in the Pit area. Be aware of apparel and hair safety issues while working on your robot. Sandals, open-toed shoes, and Crocs are not allowed in the Pits, fields, or other teamwork areas. Wear relaxed, fun and appropriate clothing; remember, you represent your team and
FIRST
. Body paint in lieu of clothes, bathing suits and other revealing clothes are not appropriate. Face coverings and vaccinations are not required but are recommended. If you are feeling ill, please do not attend the event.
Enhanced Security Measures
As part of our continued commitment to attendee safety, each year we re-evaluate the safety measures we instate at the Championship. The perimeter of the screening area will expand this year to include parts of Discovery Green and Avenidas de las Americas. Security entrances will all be located at these outdoor perimeters, along with the previous GRB/Hotel walkway entrances. There will be metal detection screening at all event entrances. For any attendee that does alert when going through the detectors, they will then move to a secondary screening line. We expect this process to be similar in entry time as our previous process.
Additionally, we will be using canine dog teams during team load in for vehicle screening at the loading docks.
These enhanced security measures are part of our ongoing commitment to providing a safe and welcoming environment. Please make sure that you read through the prohibited items list and follow the directions of event staff to assist in a quicker entry and thank you for your cooperation in making this event a great experience for everyone!
Mascots
Please keep safety in mind and make sure that mascot and team costumes are safe for the wearer as to vision and movement and are comfortable and cool enough to prevent fainting and dehydration. Mascots are not allowed on the playing field.
Medical Incidents
FIRST
requires that physical injuries and medical problems, however slight, be documented and reported to the party conducting the event or his or her designee and to
FIRST
Headquarters within 48 hours of the occurrence. Medical incidents can be reported electronically from any Wi-Fi enabled device using the Medical Incident Form on the
FIRST
Reporting Portal
. Pit Admins also have tablets that can be utilized to report incidents to
FIRST
if needed.
Reporting Youth Protection and Youth Safety Concerns
The Youth Protection Concern form on the
FIRST
Reporting Portal
can be used to report concerns related to Youth Protection and Youth Safety that do not involve medical incidents or physical injuries, such as bullying, harassment or inappropriate conduct involving or impacting youth participants.
Note
: Feedback about issues such as game play, rule changes, awards, and event management (other than medical/safety issues) are considered program related concerns and not youth protection issues and should be shared with
FIRST
via
customerservice@firstinspires.org
. Please note that match results and award results are final and that we will not review match videos.
Supporting Mental Health at
FIRST
Championship
Taking care of your mental well-being is just as important as your team’s performance on the field. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or need someone to talk to, confidential counseling services are available on-site for adults and youth participants.
The Harris Center for Mental Health
will provide trained counselors who will offer confidential, on-site counseling services to
FIRST
participants Thu-Sat from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
To Schedule an Appointment
, Scan the QR code or complete this form -
Sign Up Here
Walk-Ins Welcome (Based on Availability)
If you have questions, email
safety@firstinspires.org
Note about
Confidentiality
: All appointments are private, and the limited data collected via the form is used only for scheduling. It will be deleted after the event.
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. Please see the below schedule for Thursday & Friday by field.
On Saturday, all Division Fields will break from the end of the Division Field Playoffs until 2:00 PM
Divisions
Day
Lunch Break Time
Archimedes
Thursday
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Friday
12:45 PM – 2:15 PM
Curie
Thursday
11:15 AM – 12:45 PM
Friday
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Daly
Thursday
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Friday
12:15 PM – 1:45 PM
Galileo
Thursday
11:45 AM – 1:15 PM
Friday
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Hopper
Thursday
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Friday
11:45 AM – 1:15 PM
Johnson
Thursday
12:15 PM – 1:45 PM
Friday
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Milstein
Thursday
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Friday
11:15 AM – 12:45 PM
Newton
Thursday
12:45 PM – 2:15 PM
Friday
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Parking
Parking is available around the George R. Brown Convention Center, see
Downtown Houston Parking webpage
for more information.