FIRST^® LEGO^® League Explore
2026 FIRST^® Championship Update

Hi ,

Coming to you from FIRST^® LEGO^® League Headquarters in Manchester, NH, USA.

Welcome World Festival Teams:

This is the third email blast for the FIRST^® LEGO^® League Explore World Festival at the FIRST^® Championship in Houston, Texas, USA.

From April 29 - May 2, 2026, teams from around the world will be together in Houston at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Many activities are in the works to encourage teams to visit and support the other FIRST programs – we will share information about these activities with you in the coming weeks. 

We’ll be sharing important event information in these email blasts. Please read ALL the provided information as it may pertain to your team and/or travel arrangements.

What’s New?

📓 Event Guide and Schedule
Teams are expected to arrive and set up their pits on Thursday, April 30, with an optional early bird check-in on Wednesday, April 29, at 11:00am- 3:00pm.

Thursday, April 30:
🔨 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Team Check-in and Pit Set-up
🔨 4:30 p.m. – Pits Close

Be sure to review the FIRST LEGO League Explore addendum for a detailed schedule, which will be updated regularly leading up to the event.

The FIRST Championship Event Guide is your downloadable, printable guide to our event at the George R. Brown Convention Center, including notable happenings, safety information and event logistics.

Important Reminders

📓 Team Pit Space
Your team will be assigned to an 8-foot x 8-foot (2.4 meters x 2.4 meters) space which will be your home at the World Festival.

Each space will have one standard-sized table and two chairs. Short pipes and drapes will frame the space on three sides, but any decorations you bring must be supported with a structure you bring or create.

You may decorate it in a way to showcase your country, state, and/or your unique and fun team identity. We encourage you to be creative, but please consider the following limitations and restrictions:

🔨 Decorate within your pit space. Also, consider 10 feet (3 meters) as a height limit as well. For safety reasons, your decorations must remain within this space. 10-foot x 10-foot tents are not allowed due to the size of the pit spaces.

🔨 You will have access to one (1), 120-volt electrical outlet. We encourage you to bring an extension cord and a power strip for you to plug in multiple devices simultaneously.

🔨 Please do NOT bring or use helium balloons or open flames. No team should cook or prepare food in the pit area.

📓 Consent and Release Forms
The FIRST Consent and Release form is required for every team member, coach, and mentor participating at FIRST Championship.

The form must be signed by a legal parent or guardian of anyone under 18, or the student may not be able to participate in the event.

Coaches or mentors may not complete the form for team members unless they are the legal parent or guardian of the team members.

Teams from the U.S. and Canada must be prepared to present an official printed roster that demonstrates all team members have met this requirement.

Teams outside of the U.S. and Canada must have participants complete a Consent and Release Form for every adult coach and mentor, and every student on their team by April 2, 2026.

Refer to your welcome email for more information and a link to the form. You should share the link to the form with a parent or guardian of all youth team members for completion.

Be sure all persons completing the form list your World Festival registration team number (starting with 3xxxx) under “Team Number”.

📓Action May Be Required – Traveling Abroad?
To request the VISA Invitation letter, please use the Visa Letter Form.

This is for anyone who plans on attending any of the FIRST Championship with your team.

This invitation letter acts as a supporting document for your appointment at your local U.S. Embassy. FIRST does not assist with the VISA application process and cannot provide guidance for which VISA schedule one qualifies for; kindly check in with your local Embassy.

You can also view the Department of State VISA categories to determine your eligibility on your own.

We’re looking forward to seeing you soon in Houston! Stay tuned for our next email on Wednesday, April 8, which will contain more important information about the event. 

Countdown to FIRST Championship — 28 days!