Event Guide & Schedule

The 2025 FIRST® Championship presented by BAE Systems 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.

Download Event Guides

 

Event Badging

For event security, FIRST requires every FIRST Championship attendee to register for a badge, including volunteers, mentors, teams members, exhibitors, sponsors, media, spectators, etc. All attendees must be badged during the event to be granted access to on-site activities.  

Upon qualification to participate, FIRST teams will receive an invitation for their 2025 FIRST Championship team housing and badging. For additional details, refer to Event Housing. 

Advance spectator registration will not be available this year. 

The event is free to the public and spectators will check in at the registration desk upon arrival to request a badge to attend the event, a photo id is required.

Event Housing

FIRST® partners with travel experts ConferenceDirect to bring you more than 150 FIRST-reviewed hotel locations for registered teams to choose from for the 2025 FIRST Championship in Houston.

All teams traveling to FIRST Championship will be required to book their housing accommodations within those designated hotel blocks. The partnership enables FIRST to ensure that all hotels are pre-approved for safety and accessibility and that enough hotel rooms are available for qualified teams.   

Hotels within the block may offer teams:  

  • Convenient, FIRST contracted amenities at most hotels including complimentary Wi-Fi, breakfast, and parking 
  • Flexibility to make booking adjustments and pay later 
  • Reservation protection and assistance before, during, and after your stay if any unexpected challenges occur 
  • Guaranteed low-rates at FIRST-reviewed hotels 

Once a FIRST team qualifies for the championship event, they will receive an email from ConferenceDirect with information to book their team housing and register for badges. For an overview of the team housing and badge registration process pleas refer to the Step-by-Step Housing Guide.

Additional housing and event badging resources: 

 

How to Guides for Booking Housing and Badge Registration:

  1. Creating a team housing block using personalized link from ConferenceDirect (email will be sent to Lead 1 mentor upon qualifying for Championship)
  2. After creating a team room block, the planner portal (dashboard) is where teams may monitor their hotel reservations, make edits, and run a room list report
  3. Registering for event badges

 

Review Frequently Asked Housing Questions

ConferenceDirect is the only approved and official housing provider for the 2025 FIRST Championship event. Be advised if you receive communications for FIRST event housing from anyone other than ConferenceDirect or FIRST they are likely fraudulent, and you may be putting your team at risk of not having proper accommodations for the event. You will receive an invitation link to select your room block from ConferenceDirect FIRST Teams Housing <info@cvent.com>.

Houston Welcomes All

Houston, our gracious host city, is excited to welcome 50,000 people from around the world who will join us for the ultimate celebration of STEM and innovation. In 2024, the City of Houston hosted the largest FIRST Championship event to date, with approximately 50,000 attendees from more than 50 countries. The 2025 FIRST Championship will continue our focus on providing a welcoming and fun space for the FIRST community to gather and celebrate our season.

Support Youth in Houston at FIRST Championship

FIRST is partnering with Tony's Place, a Houston-based organization. The mission of Tony’s Place is to support and empower local LGBTQ+ youth. We are asking our FIRST community to help their mission by donating new supplies. The items needed can be packed along with you on your way to Houston!  The necessities requested are:

  • Slides/Sandals/Flip-flops – All sizes
  • Undergarments – New and in original packaging 
    • Masculine style – Trunks, Boxer Briefs, and Boxers in all sizes
    • Feminine style – All undergarments in all sizes
  • Protective hair coverings – New and in original packaging 
    • Durag style
    • Silk hair bonnets

We are so excited to have this opportunity to support youth in Houston! You can drop off your donated supplies in Room 350C onsite at the George R. Brown Convention Center on Wednesday, April 16th from 9am-5pm CT and Thursday, April 17th from 9am-2pm CT. Thank you for your support!

Did you know?

  • Houston is the most diverse city in the United States, with at least 145 languages spoken by its residents
  • Houston was the first major city in the country to elect an openly gay mayor
  • There are 161 human rights organizations in the greater Houston area
  • Houston is home to the second largest concentration of Fortune 1000 companies in the U.S., behind New York City
  • Houston has a young population, with its largest population segment the ~22% of residents aged 5 to 19
  • With over 90 nations represented, Houston is home to the third-largest consular corps in the U.S.


Become a Houston Local, Discover what makes Houston great

Learn more about Houston including travel guides, food, and special discounts: