About the Event | VEX Robotics World Championship
The VEX Robotics World Championship took place in St. Louis, Missouri, April 21-30, 2026.
April 10, 2026
In this edition:
Congratulations! It’s almost time for your team’s trip to St. Louis, MO, for the 2026 VEX Robotics World Championship. As you prepare to depart, please review these final important details to ensure a successful competition experience.
Have questions? Visit us online. We can’t wait to see you in St. Louis!
Be sure to check out our special event merchandise and experiences that can be purchased in advance to make your 2026 VEX Robotics World Championship even more memorable!
Spectators who are not registered as a student or coach will need to check in for the event, and may do so either online in advance or in-person at the event upon arrival. All spectators, regardless of whether they checked-in online, should proceed to the Plaza Lobby upon arrival to verify their check-in and obtain their wristbands for entrance into the exhibit halls and dome.
In Person Spectator Check-In is open daily from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00p.m. CT.
Online
Primary and/or Secondary Coach Contacts will need to check in via a link that will become available on RobotEvents.com prior to arriving at the venue for the event. The Team Check-in link can be found under “My Account” on RobotEvents. The check-in button goes live for coaches to do the online check on Monday, April 13, 2026, at 11 a.m. CT.
In-Person
A Primary or Secondary Coach Contact (who already checked-in online) should proceed to Plaza Lobby to obtain their teams’ wristbands for entrance into the halls, and other items.
The division lists for the 2026 VEX Robotics World Championship are now available. Participating teams can review their assigned divisions using the link below.
The driver meetings with Tyler and Bailey from VEX Robotics will go live on the VEX Robotics YouTube Channel one week before the competition begins. These meetings will have critical information and Q&As about the VEX Robotics Worlds Championship, so be sure to pass this link onto all of the students, coaches, parents, and guests that will be attending with your team.
Inspection will take place in your division. Inspection will close at 11:00 a.m. on the first day of your event; be sure to check in the day before to ensure that you have ample time! Teams are encouraged to print, fill out, and bring their official inspection sheet to the event to expedite the inspection process. Coaches and students are required to complete and sign off on the inspection sheet.
Note: Teams will not be able to access the practice fields or Robot Skills areas without passing Inspection.
All teams attending the VEX Robotics World Championship are required to update their VEXos firmware. VEX IQ Robotics Competition teams must ensure both their controller and robot are running the latest VEXos firmware for their VEX IQ Brain version.
IMPORTANT: Please upgrade your VEXos prior to departure for St. Louis. The required VEXos upgrade for V5 is VEXos version 1.1.5.
The required VEXos version for VEX IQ 2nd generation is VEXos version 1.0.8; 1st generation is VEXos version 2.2.1.
The America’s Center prohibits outside food and drinks. Anyone with outside food and drinks will be denied entry into the venue. Please note that The America’s Center is a cashless venue. Link for purchase of meal vouchers and pre-ordered sandwich packages are live, order now!
Heritage Nationwide Exposition Services is our shipping partner for the 2026 VEX Robotics World Championship. Teams choosing to ship should ensure that their robots arrive on Monday April 20, 2026, to America’s Center Convention Complex in St. Louis, Missouri.
Each registered team will receive one (1) complimentary Team Parking Pass, valid in surface Lot N for their event ONLY. Teams MUST pick up their Team Parking Pass PRIOR to arriving at Lot N. Please note: Surface Lot N is not accessible for individuals with disabilities. NO Cash Value / NO Exchanges. Lost or stolen parking passes will not be replaced.
To assist our international teams with their arrival and departure, we recommend exploring the following websites and downloading their mobile apps for essential on-the-go resources in St. Louis.
Strut your standout styles and flaunt your finest fashions in this year’s Costume Contest!
Complete the online form beginning April 21, 2026 to enter for a chance to win one of this year’s exciting prizes!
Stand out from the crowd with an excellently decorated pit area and enter this year’s VEX Robotics World Championship Pit Design Contest!
Check out the details and enter for a chance to go down in VEX Robotics history!
For event broadcasts and live results from the VEX Robotics World Championship, visit VEX TV. As your teams prepare for their trip to the 2026 VEX Robotics World Championship, don’t forget to share your team’s accomplishments with the community using these press release and media templates. Please tag @recfoundation and @vexrobotics on social media using the hashtags #VEXWorlds and #onthewaytoworlds.
Will you be in St. Louis for the VEX Robotics World Championship? Treat yourself to a front-row seat to all of the action by signing up to volunteer!
St. Louis is full of unique attractions, exceptional music, arts, and cultural institutions, and enough stores and specialty shops to keep any shopper happy. Experience Forest Park, home to world-class attractions like the Saint Louis Art Museum, Saint Louis Zoo, Saint Louis Science Center and the Missouri History Museum. Take a stroll through the Missouri Botanical Garden, explore City Museum or take a tour of the Gateway Arch.
