2027 Event Preferencing Opens Sept. 24: What Your Team Needs to Know

Written By Natasha Wilkerson

The 2027 FIRST Robotics Competition season is almost here! Event preferencing for your team's first district event opens Thursday, September 24 at 11:00 AM Central and closes Thursday, October 1 at 11:00 AM Central. Here's everything you need to get your picks in on time.

New to the season? Catch up on everything else in Welcome to the 2027 FRC Season!, including Texas kickoff locations, the full district event calendar, award deadlines, and how to join the Texas FRC mentor Slack.

How Event Preferencing Works

During the one-week window, your team ranks the events you'd like to attend. You can rank as many or as few events as you like, and you can change your picks as often as you want before the deadline.

There's no advantage to submitting early, so take the time to talk it over with your team, parents, and sponsors. After the deadline closes, FIRST runs a lottery that places each team into an event or onto a waitlist.

FIRST Texas Events
 

New This Season: Kickoff and Kit of Parts Selection

Starting September 24, teams will also select their local Kickoff and make their Drive Base & Black Tote opt-out selections. Veteran teams miss this step every year, so read the options carefully. Make sure to check out by November 17 at 11:00 AM Central. After that, opt-out vouchers are no longer available and teams can only select the full registration option.

Key Dates

Event Preferencing Guide
 

Frequently Asked Questions

Do we need to be paid up before we can preference events?
No payment is required to enter preferences. Payment for your initial event registration is due November 17 at 4:00 PM Central.]

What happens if we miss the Round 1 window?
Late registration opens October 2. You can still select from events with open spots, but options may be limited, so we strongly recommend preferencing during Round 1.

Can we change our preferences after submitting?
Yes. You can edit your rankings as often as you like until the deadline on October 1 at 11:00 AM Central.

Do both Lead Coaches need to be cleared?
Yes. Both Lead Coach 1 and Lead Coach 2 must complete their Youth Protection Program (YPP) clearances before your team can submit event preferences. In the FIRST Dashboard, go to Youth Protection and make sure all three items show green: agreeing to the Youth Protection Policy, completing YPP Training, and completing Screening. Screening usually takes 1 to 2 business days to clear, so if your coaches haven't finished, start today. Two screened lead coaches are also required before you can invite students to your roster. Learn more about YPP clearances.

How many events does our registration include?
Your season registration includes two district events. The cost is $6,500 per team, covering 2 district events plus a basic kit of parts. Round 1 is for your first event and Round 2 (Oct. 15 to 22) is for your second.

Can we attend a third district event?
Yes, if spots are open, Teams can register for a 3rd Play District Event at $1,000 per event. There are two windows:

  • Oct. 29 at 11:00 AM CT: Additional in-district event registration opens, so you can register for a third Texas event.

  • Nov. 5 at 11:00 AM CT: Additional inter-district registration opens, which lets teams register for any open spot in any district, including events outside Texas.

Payment for additional events is due Jan. 21, 2027 at 4:00 PM CT, not Nov. 17.

Does a third event count toward District Championship points?
No. Only your first two home district events count, in calendar order. Your third event by date never counts, but which event ends up third depends on the dates, not the order you registered.

For example, say your team gets Week 5 in Round 1 and Week 3 in Round 2, then adds a third event in Week 4. Your Week 3 and Week 4 events count toward your ranking, and Week 5 becomes your third event, so it does not count.

 

Resources

 

Questions?

Email us at texasinfo@firstinspires.org and we'll be happy to help. Good luck this season, Texas!

Natasha Wilkerson
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