AZFirst Updates - 26-27 FRC Season
- annalisaregalado
- Jul 27
- 2 min read
Dear Arizona FRC Community,
Arizona will expand official FIRST Robotics Competition opportunities in 2027 by hosting two FRC Regional events—the Arizona North Regional at NAU and the return of the Arizona Valley Regional in the Phoenix Metro area. This expansion ensures that Arizona teams have multiple chances to compete locally for advancement to the FIRST Championship, reducing travel barriers and strengthening access for all teams.
With this shift, Arizona will retire the State Championship. This decision reflects thoughtful input from teams, volunteers, and partners, and recognizes the tremendous growth of the Arizona Robotics League (ARL). ARL has become a vital statewide partner, offering more off season play, training opportunities, and community building than a single State Championship can provide.
AZFirst is now focused on delivering two sustainable, high-quality regional events and securing long term support from sponsors, venues, volunteers, and community partners. Strengthening official regional play—while continuing to collaborate closely with ARL—positions AZFirst for long term growth and year-round engagement.
I also want to share that Rich Simoncic will be departing his role with Microchip on August 17, 2026. While next steps regarding his future involvement with AZFirst are still being clarified, we are committed to ensuring continuity for teams and volunteers as we transition responsibilities.
We are grateful for everyone who contributed to the State Championship tradition and are excited for the expanded opportunities ahead. We encourage teams to continue participating in ARL events throughout the year to develop skills, test improvements, and support newer teams.
Thank you for your commitment to inspiring Arizona’s next generation of engineers and innovators. We look forward to seeing you at our 2027 regional events.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Annalisa (aregalado@firstparners.org) or Susan (sgarduno@firstinspires.org).
Michelle Bell and Annalisa Regalado
