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FIRST® Tech Challenge
European Premier Event 2026

June 16-20, 2026
Eindhoven, The Netherlands

For teams

The FIRST® Tech Challenge European Premier Event 2026 offers a similar experience to the FIRST Championship, creating a fun, exciting, and memorable culminating experience for teams. With more then 100 teams competing, this event is designed to push teams to their limits and celebrate the best of robotics innovation.

Preliminary Competition format

  • The competition will be held in a dual-division format. Each division will have two competition fields and two practice fields, ensuring there’s ample room for teams to refine their strategies and improve their gameplay. However, teams must ensure their robots are sturdy and reliable, as they will face up to 8 qualification matches before entering the playoffs—reliability is key!
  • Each division will form 8 alliances of 3 teams, consisting of two competing teams and one backup team. These 8 alliances from each division will merge into a single 16-alliance double-elimination playoff bracket. This means that 48 will advance to the playoffs.
  • Judging will take place directly in the pits, where judge pairs will visit the teams. Every team will receive two separate visits. During one of these visits, the team will have the opportunity to give a 5-minute presentation, followed by a Q&A session. The other visit is dedicated solely to a Q&A session, allowing the judges to dive deeper into your technical choices and team spirit.
  • It’s important for judging that you bring two printed copies of your engineering portfolio to the event. One copy should be submitted at the information desk during team registration. The other copy should be kept in your pit and can be reviewed by the judges during pit visits.
  • Awards will be given at event-level, with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place for each award category.

Divisions

The participating teams will be divided into two divisions.
Divisions are traditionally named after famous scientists whose groundbreaking work has had a lasting impact on society.

Escher Division

Escher Division is named after M.C. Escher, the Dutch artist known for his mind-bending mathematical art. His intricate patterns and impossible constructions continue to inspire creativity, logic, and visual thinking. To this day, his works of art can be found in mathematics classrooms around the world to inspire a future generation

Lovelace Division

Lovelace Division is named after Ada Lovelace, a British pioneer of computational thinking and widely regarded as the world’s first computer programmer. Her legacy lives on in modern technology — from early algorithms to cutting-edge AI architectures like NVIDIA’s Lovelace GPU platform.


Pit Information

  • Pits:
    • Each team will have a 3m x 3m (10’ x 10’) assigned pit.
    • Pits are marked with tape on the floor and include a pipe and drape backdrop.
    • Each pit will have  1 – 220v outlet.
    • Each pit will have 2 tables, size 90cm x 60cm.
    • 2 Chairs will be provided.

    When designing your pit, please keep these cans and cannots in mind:

  • Can:
    • Have a 3m x 3m (10’ x 10’) tall pop-up frame(without canopy).
    • Include lights.
    • Include your own country flag (only one).
    • Include lots of team information.
  • Cannot:
    • Cover your pit floor with floor tiles or carpets.
    • Cover your pop-up frame with canopy.
    • Bring outside food in to the venue.
    • Use glitter.
    • Use helium balloons.
    • Use fog machines.
    • Use drones inside the building.
    • Incorporate loud music.

Participation teams

Teams from more than 35 different countries will take part in the FIRST Tech Challenge European Premier Event in Eindhoven — making this a truly international celebration of innovation, teamwork, and robotics.

Curious to see which teams are competing? You can find the current overview of registered teams here:
View the participating teams list

Please note that this list is not final yet. New teams will continue to be added as they qualify and complete their registration.

Visa Information

  • If participants require a visa to attend the European Premier Event, they can contact us via email at steamup@ftcpremierevent.eu. We will be happy to send an official invitation letter to the team.
  • For more information on whether a visa is required to enter the Netherlands, please visit the official Dutch government website

Travel Information for Eindhoven

  • Are you traveling from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to Eindhoven? While it’s possible to make the journey by public transport, you can also arrange a transfer for your group via City Tours Eindhoven. More info will follow.
  • For accommodation options during your stay, please visit the housing page for more details.

FREE Ship-to-Pit service


REV Robotics is excited to partner with the European Premier Event! As proud supporters of the robotics community, we want to make sure every team has what they need to compete, build, and enjoy the event.

FREE Ship-to-Pit service
Get your parts delivered to the European Premier Event in Eindhoven for FREE! Make sure your team is fully equipped and ready to compete by taking advantage of our Ship-to-Pit service, available exclusively through the REV Robotics EU website.

Teams can place their orders online and select the “Ship to Pit – European Premier Event– Eindhoven, The Netherlands” shipping option during checkout. Orders will be available for pickup at the event.

Don’t Wait – Order Deadline is Friday, June 5, 2026!

For full details and instructions, please visit:
https://revrobotics.eu/ftc-premier-event/