Overview of Registration

The following steps are required to register your FTC team for the 2026-27 FTC season.

  1. Complete national FIRST®registration and pay the national fee of $350 (or apply for a hardship grant with Jonathan)
  2. Once a team has completed national registration and has a valid team roster, an email reminder will be sent to coach 1 and coach 2 with with instructions on how to register in IL.
  3. Complete Illinois Registration Payment
  4. Steps 1-3 must be completed before October 1, 2026
  5. Only after steps 1-3 are complete will teams be assigned a spot in a league.   
    Leagues will be assigned based on geography and availability at time of registration.
  6. Teams will be notified of registration results by October 15, 2026

Step 1: National FIRST® Registration

All teams must register with FIRST®and pay a national registration fee of $350.
Start by registering the team on FIRST®
  1. Go to FIRSTInspires.org
  2. Select "Sign up" or "Login"
  3. Follow FIRST®team registration instructions
  4. Pay your national registration fee of $350 or apply for a FIRST®registration grant
  5. Invite your students to join your team.
Your national registration is not complete until the following are true:
  • You have paid your registration fee or applied for a grant
  • You have assigned 2 coaches
  • Both coaches have passed Youth Protection screening
  • Both coaches have signed consent/release forms
  • You have assigned 1 or more students to your team.

Step 2: Illinois FIRST registration

In Illinois, all teams are required to pay for Illinois event participation.

2026/2027 League play Fee: $245 (includes 3 meets and a league tournament)

Coaches will be emailed a reminder when National registration is complete.

Illinois Payment Methods

To check your team's registration status, see the registration status page .