Our programs
FIRST® Tech Challenge
Design, build and program competition robots in grades 7–12.
FIRST® Tech Challenge gives middle and high school students the chance to design, build, program and compete with robots while developing teamwork, leadership and real-world problem-solving.
One statewide program, supported regionally
FIRST Tech Challenge in Texas is organized into five regions: North, Central, East, South, and West & Panhandle. Competition looks a little different in each one. Depending on the region, a team may compete through a league, a qualifying tournament or another regional model. Every path leads to Regional Championships and postseason opportunities.
What teams experience
Design and Build
Teams design and build a robot from the ground up — metal, 3D-printed and kit parts — to play the season's game.
Program and Iterate
Students write the code — autonomous routines, driver control, vision — and refine it through scrimmages and league meets.
Compete as an Alliance
Two-team alliances face off in qualifiers and league tournaments; engineering notebooks and interviews count as much as matches.
Advance and Celebrate
Top teams move on to Regional Championships, the Texas State Cup and the FIRST Championship in Houston.
Season at a glanceThe 2026–27 season: BIOBUZZ™ presented by RTX
Kickoff September 12, competitions October–January, Regional Championships mid-February to early March, State Championship Weekend March 19–21, 2027.
The 2026–27 season: BIOBUZZ™ presented by RTX
The 2026–27 season is part of FIRST CANOPY™, a biodiversity-themed robotics season. In BIOBUZZ™ presented by RTX, teams design, build and program robots for a challenge inspired by the energy and connections of the natural world. About BIOBUZZ™
The season runs from registration and kickoff through robot development, volunteer training, qualifying competition, Regional Championships and postseason events. Dates below are a statewide overview — follow your region's communications and the calendar for confirmed dates.
| Season kickoff | Official launch of the FIRST Tech Challenge season: game reveal, season resources and challenge release. | Sep 12, 2026 |
| Volunteer trainings | Training for referees, judges, inspectors, scorekeepers and queuers. | Sep – Dec |
| Scrimmages | Informal practice events to test robots, run matches and prepare for official competition. | Oct – Dec |
| Regular season competitions | Official competitions begin across Texas — League Meets or Qualifiers depending on region. | Oct – Jan |
| HQ season registration fee due | Pay the FIRST HQ season registration fee to keep your event spot. Finish the rest of your HQ requirements before your first event. | Nov 15, 2026 |
| Texas qualifying event fee due | Pay the Texas qualifying event fee, even if your first event is earlier. East (Houston) teams follow San Jacinto College's invoice and deadlines. | Dec 15, 2026 |
| FIRST Leadership Award nominations due | Coaches nominate 10th- and 11th-grade students for the FIRST Leadership Award (formerly Dean's List). | Dec 15 |
| Leadership Award interview scheduling opens | Nominated students schedule their interview. | Late December |
| Leadership Award interviews | Interviews for nominated students. | From Jan 8 |
| League Tournaments & last-chance qualifiers | Final qualification opportunities for advancement to the Regional Championship. | Jan – Feb |
| Regional Championships | Teams compete within their region for the title and the next level of advancement. | Mid Feb – early Mar |
| Texas State Cup & UIL State Championship | Texas State Championship Weekend — capstone celebration for qualifying teams. | Mar 19–21, 2027 |
| TAPPS State Championship | State championship for qualifying TAPPS private and parochial schools. | Apr 10, 2027 |
| FIRST Championship | The culminating international championship. | Apr 28 – May 1, 2027 |
Getting ready for BIOBUZZ™
Review the Competition Manual, attend a preseason workshop and connect with your community at a kickoff. This season brings important changes to the philosophy and language of the rules — pay particular attention to Section 1: The Spirit of the Competition, the Framework of Behaviors and the new Competition Integrity Contract. Review it with the whole team rather than assuming things work as they did last season.
Find your regionRegions & contacts
Regions are assigned by county. Your Regional Program Administrator is your contact for local events, deadlines and support — 5 regions listed with emails.
Regions & contacts
FIRST Tech Challenge in Texas is organized into five regions — North, Central, East, South, and West & Panhandle. Find yours on the map and check the region's events for local detail.
Your Regional Program Administrator (formerly “PDP”) is your primary connection to local events, season information, team support and advancement. Questions that don't fit a region: texasinfo@firstinspires.org.
- BM
Not sure which region you're in? Regions are assigned by county — find yours on the map above, or open the events map.
What you pay, and whenPricing & registration
Three stages: register with FIRST HQ, pay your region's Texas event fee, and your Regional Program Administrator places your team into events. Advancing events are paid for separately, only if you advance.
Pricing & registration
Two organizations take money and they pay for different things. FIRST HQ registers the team for the season nationally; it does not enter you into any event. FIRST Texas charges the event fee that pays for the trophies, game sets, venues and volunteers in your region. Everything after that — Semi-Regionals, Regional Championships, the state events — is paid for only by the teams that reach them.
Every team goes through the same three stages. East (Houston) is run by San Jacinto College, so its column differs — read down yours:
Step 1
Register with FIRST HQ
Step 2
Pay the Texas event fee
Step 3
Your RPA places your team
Fees are paid in the FIRST Storefront from late September, reached from your team's FIRST Dashboard. Tap the i in any cell for the fine print.
- One application, many sources. A single FIRST Texas grant application considers your team for funding from every statewide partner — you only apply once.
- Amounts are decided case by case and disclosed privately; they depend on the number of applicants, total funds raised and sponsor restrictions.
- Funds are generally applied directly to the team's FIRST Dashboard, to support registration and FIRST Storefront purchases.
- Some sponsors restrict use by program (for example FIRST Robotics Competition only), geography, school or organization type.
How teams move through the seasonAdvancement
League or Qualifying Tournament → Regional Championship → FIRST Championship, Premier Events or the Texas State Cup. UIL and TAPPS run separate school championships.
Advancement
Because each region uses the structure that fits its teams and geography, the type of qualifying event — and the number of steps before Regional Championship — varies. Teams begin at a League Tournament or Qualifying Tournament; depending on region they advance directly to a Regional Championship or via a Semi-Regional. Regional Championship results determine FIRST Championship, Premier Event and Texas State Cup opportunities. UIL and TAPPS provide separate championship pathways for eligible schools.
The FIRST Tech Challenge Competition Manual is the official source for advancement criteria, point calculations, eligibility and tournament progression.
Event types
League Play & League Tournaments
One of two initial qualification paths. League play spreads competition over several events; teams join a local league and see many of the same teams all season.
League Meets are smaller events over weeks or months focused on qualification matches — no judging, alliance selection, playoffs, awards or advancement. The League Tournament concludes the league with judging, qualification matches, alliance selection, playoffs, awards and advancement; meet results feed the tournament ranking as defined in the Competition Manual. Advancing teams go to a Regional Championship directly or via a Semi-Regional.
Qualifiers
The other initial path: the complete competition experience in one event — inspection, judging, qualification matches, alliance selection, playoffs, awards and advancement. Advancement is based on performance at that tournament alone. How teams are assigned, and whether they may attend more than one, varies by region.
Regional Championships
The highest level within each region. Results determine FIRST Championship and Premier Event advancement and drive Texas State Cup and UIL invitations.
FIRST Championship
The culminating global event. Texas teams advance via Regional Championship results and the slots FIRST allocates. Teams do not reach it via the Texas State Cup, UIL or TAPPS.
Premier Events
Capstone events with teams from across the country and world — parallel to, not a step toward, FIRST Championship. Advancing teams may rank Premier Events and FIRST Championship in the official Event Preferencing process. Premier Events · How preferencing worked in 2025–26
Texas State Cup
A statewide capstone for top-performing Texas teams, invited on Regional Championship results and available spaces. Separate from FIRST Championship and Premier Event advancement — a team may be invited to State Cup in addition to another opportunity, but State Cup results don't advance further.
March 20–21, 2027, as part of Texas State Championship Weekend. More details to come.
UIL State Championship
A school-based championship for UIL-eligible Texas high schools in three divisions by UIL classification: 1A–4A, 5A and 6A. Students must meet UIL eligibility; schools confirm it.
Invitations go to schools, not teams — a school with several eligible teams picks one. Spaces are spread across the divisions; when eligible schools outnumber spaces, invitations follow each school's best Regional Championship result, then earlier qualifying results if spaces remain.
UIL is a separate pathway and doesn't advance teams to FIRST Championship, Premier Events or State Cup — though a UIL team may qualify for those independently. Friday, March 19, 2027, Texas State Championship Weekend. UIL eligibility standards
TAPPS State Championship
A separate school-based championship for eligible TAPPS schools, managed by TAPPS (eligibility, registration, fees, rules, communications). It doesn't replace or affect a team's regional pathway. TAPPS Robotics
Advancement FAQ
Does the Texas State Cup advance teams to FIRST Championship?
No. FIRST Championship and Premier Event advancement come directly from Regional Championship results. State Cup is a separate capstone.
Must a team attend UIL to attend the State Cup, or vice versa?
No. They have separate qualification. A team may attend either, or both if eligible and invited.
What if we qualify for multiple post-regional events?
State Cup invitations are independent of FIRST Championship / Premier advancement. Choose what fits your goals, schedule, travel and budget — you needn't accept every invitation.
How do Event Preferencing and advancement points work?
FIRST publishes the criteria and point system in the Competition Manual and gives advancing teams instructions for ranking capstone opportunities. These can change season to season — rely on the current manual and official FIRST communications.
When will we know our region's exact pathway?
Detailed regional information — qualifying formats, assignments and pathways — is expected by mid-September. Watch your region's communications and this site's calendar.
CalendarUpcoming FIRST Tech Challenge events
97 upcoming FIRST Tech Challenge events on the Texas calendar.
Upcoming FIRST Tech Challenge events
Amarillo Scrimmage
- Oct 20, 2026
- AmTech Career Academy, Amarillo
NTX "Marcus Mayhem" Scrimmage #1
- Oct 24, 2026
- Marcus High School (RoboPlex & Cafeteria), Flower Mound
Curie Qualifier
- Oct 24, 2026
- World Scholars Academy, Edinburg
Austin Volunteer Rodeo and Scrimmage
- Oct 24, 2026
- Austin Kipp Collegiate, Austin
CTX HoT League Meet 1
- Oct 29, 2026
- Bishop Louis Reicher Catholic High School, Waco
NTX I-League Meet #1b
- Oct 31, 2026
- ITKAN Innovation Hub, Plano, Texas