2021 FIRST® Championship

We’re well into the FIRST® Tech Challenge, ULTIMATE GOAL^SM presented by Qualcomm season with more than 130 events already held. Most of these events have been run remotely, a new remote event option we introduced this summer. We love that teams are playing ULTIMATE GOAL from their robotics labs, scoring themselves, and following social distancing guidelines in their areas!

We are doing all we can to plan for FIRST® Championship here at FIRST too, however there are still many unknowns.

What do we currently know?

We’ve pushed FIRST Championship dates out to extend the FIRST seasons to late July and early August… and that’s about it at this point.

What don’t we yet know?

Will social distancing guidelines be such that a traditional FIRST Championship can be held, or a modified version? Will there be restrictions imposed by schools, states, and/or countries, limiting travel? Will there be venue or regional restrictions in Detroit or Houston? How do we work with restrictions, and how will that impact the size and nature of the events?

These are the same questions each and every live event organizer faces right now and we’re plugged in, and while we expect conditions to improve, it all comes down to timing.

One thing I can add to the “what we currently know” list is the method in which FIRST Tech Challenge teams will advance to FIRST Championship.  We intend for advancement to continue to be merit based, according to how teams succeed in their respective regions and the number of teams in the particular region as a ratio to the total number of FIRST Tech Challenge teams worldwide.

Should a region (state or country) be unable to travel to their Championship, we will recalculate these ratios. If FIRST Tech Challenge needs to reduce the number of teams competing in the Championship, that will also be factored into the ratios. 

Of course, as with anything related to the pandemic, plans can and do change, and as we learn more of what the future holds for FIRST Championship, we will be sure to let our entire community know.

I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday season. The things we’ve seen our FIRSTcommunity do this year have been outstanding – and continue to be. Thanks for all you do!

Ken Johnson

Director, FIRST Tech Challenge