VEX Events
 
VEX Robotics

VIQRC | Mix & Match | UK Elem School National Championship 2026

Presented by the REC Foundation

Date
1-Mar-2026 - 2-Mar-2026 Add to Calendar
Event Code
RE-VIQRC-25-0929
Program
VEX IQ Robotics Competition
Event Type
Open Tournament
Event Format
In-Person
Field Control System
N/A
Capacity
20
Spots Open
0
Event Region
United Kingdom
Standard Registration Opens
1-Sep-2025 04:00 EDT
Registration Deadline
24-Feb-2026 04:00 EST
Payment Deadline
20-Feb-2026 05:00 EST
Price
£150.00
This event is closed to registration because:
  • This event currently has no spaces available.
  • It is past the registration deadline.

General Info

This is the VEX IQ Robotics Competition UK National Championships (Elementary School) 2026 for the Mix & Match season!

The VEX Robotics UK National Championship will take place 27th February through to 2nd March at the Telford International Centre, Telford - birthplace of the first Industrial Revolution. The annual event brings together the top VEX IQ Robotics Competition and VEX V5 Robotics Competition teams from across the UK to celebrate their accomplishments and participate in the 2025-2026 games to be crowned National Champions.

VIQRC teams will compete in the exciting 2025-2026 game - Mix & Match - to earn a spot at the VEX Robotics World Championships in St. Louis, Missouri. 

Qualification events are running across the country until mid-February. We will soon find out how many spots the United Kingdom has for the World Championships (as per Qualifying Criteria). Awards that carry a qualification spot are shown on the Awards page to the left. This follows the RECF Qualifying Criteria.

Event spots will begin to be filled from the Wait List and the National Skills Standings sometime in February. Ahead of that time, we can't confirm how many spots will be allocated from either as it will be determined by the number of open spots and invites at the time. We also can't confirm when this will happen. Preference on the Wait List will be given to organisations that do not have teams already at the event, based on the number of events they have attended in the season.

Teams will receive further information and details around the event as and when they qualify as well as updates when the event gets close.

VEX UK Nationals Micro-Site:

Check out vexuknationals.co.uk for further information about the venue and event!

 

Further Important Information:

 

Accessibility Requests

Please let us know if you have any requests regarding accessibility at the VEX Robotics UK National Championships. This includes sensory and neurodiversity accessibility requests. Complete the form here

Adult Attendees

Are you an adult attending with a team? If so, you will need to pre-register before you are able to access the halls.

Follow this link to register for tickets. On site each adult will be issued with a wristband or lanyard which will be required for access to the Hall.

Ceremonies

The Opening Ceremony/Drivers Meeting and the Finals will include changes in lighting, loud music, flashing lights and pyrotechnics. These elements are used to enhance the event atmosphere, but can cause distress or physical reactions in sensitive individuals. Anyone sensitive to bright, flashing, or flickering lights, or loud, sudden noises, should consider watching the ceremonies and Finals from the Brunel Division where they will be streamed.

Digital Engineering Notebooks

All Notebooks being considering for awards will need to be be submitted digitally. The process for this can be found in the RECF Library here. If you have a physical notebook, please ensure it can be presented in digital format and ensure the link is in your Robot Events account by 23:59 on 22nd February.

Drivers Meeting Questions

Do you have a question that you would like answered in the VEX UK Nationals Drivers Meeting by our team of Head Referees? You can submit questions on the link here. (Please note, not all questions may be answered at the event, some may be answered ahead of the event via email).

Fine Designs Branded Clothing

Fine Designs will be offering branded VEX UK Nationals merchandise at the event allowing you to personalise hoodies and t-shirts with your team number as a memento of the competition. Note: They will only be on site on Saturday and Sunday. Cash and card payments will be accepted.

Innovate Award

Teams must identify in their notebook a specific section or specific pages covering the origin and development of a design element, strategy, or other attribute that is a key part of their team’s robot design or gameplay. Details can be found here.

Inspection

Inspection for Elementary School teams will take place in the Lovelace Division.

Medals

Medals will be available to collect on the second day of the event. While we endeavour to have medals available for all team members, any larger teams (8+) may not be able to get one per team member. Medals will also only be given to team members on site.

Payment Deadline

Please ensure all event registartions are paid in full (or a Purchase Order has been uploaded to RobotEvents) one week prior to the start of the event. The deadline is 20th February, any teams not paid in full at this point may be at risk of being removed from the event.

Pit Space

Every team will get a single pit space that is approx 6ft x 6ft/1.8m x 1.8m in floorspace. Each pit will include one 6ft table, 2 folding chairs and a rubbish bin. There will also be a single socket between two pits, so please bring an extension cable and work with your "pit mate" to share the access to power. 

**NEW FOR THIS YEAR ** Important Note: Teams will not be allowed to bring VEX IQ Robotics Competition fields or portions of fields (this includes field tiles, field walls and field corners) into the Hall at the Telford Internaitonal Centre. Game elements will be allowed into the Hall. Teams can also not dismantle or change the layout of the pit by moving the Pipe and Drape, it must remain as it is built at the start of the event.

Practice Fields

There will be an increased number of Practice Fields this year at UK Nationals (14 in total, split over two areas) and there will be a 10 minute timer on use being monitores. Please check out the Practice Field tab linked on the left for more guidance about utilising your teams time the best.

Risk Assessment

The Event Risk Assessment can be found on the Documents tab, by clicking to the left.


Grade Level: Elementary

Skills Challenge Offered: Yes

Judging Format: All In-Person Judging

Event Dates & Locations

Date: 1-Mar-2026 - 2-Mar-2026

Venue/Location:
Telford International Centre
Saint Quentin Gate
Telford, TF3 4JH
United Kingdom

Contact the Event Partner

You must login to contact this Event Partner

Agenda

Sunday 1st March 2026

08:15 - Team Check In Opens (outside the Hall)
08:30 - Hall and Pits Open for teams
08:35 - Inspection Open in Division
08:45 - Practice Fields and Skills Fields Open (For inspected teams only)
10:15 - Opening Ceremony including Team/Drivers Meeting  (Lovelace Division)
(During the Opening Ceremony Inspection for all teams will take place in the Brunel Division and Skills Fields will close)
10:45 - 12:00 - Skills Fields Open (Brunel Division and Skills Fields)
11:00 - 13:00 - ES Teamwork Challenge Matches (Lovelace Division)
13:00 - 14:00 - Lunch Break (Skills Fields will be closed)
14:00 - 17:30 - Skills Fields Open (Skills Fields only)
14:30 - 16:30 - ES Teamwork Challenge Matches (Lovelace Division)
18:15 - Venue Closes

Monday 2nd March 2026

08:30 - Hall and Pits Open for teams
08:45 - Practice Fields Open for teams
09:00 - Skills Fields Open (Skills Fields Only)
11:15 - 12:15 - ES Teamwork Challenge Matches (Lovelace)
12:15 - 12:45 - Lunch Break (Skills will remain open)
13:00 - Skills Fields will close 
(Last Skills Match must be on field before 13:00)
14:00 - Award Ceremony & Teamwork Championship Finals (Lovelace Division)
17:30 - Venue Closes

N.B - Timings are subject to change
All Teamwork Challenge matches for Elementary School take place in the Lovelace Division.

Volunteer

If you would like to volunteer at VEX Robotics UK National Championship please email [email protected].

Emergency/Bad Weather Policy

In the case of severe bad weather the event may be cancelled.

The event page will be kept up to date and teams will be contacted by email or mobile in the event of any last minute changes.

Please make sure your team emergency contact details are up to date.

Refund and Payment Policies

Refunds will be given if more than 30 days notice to the event (28/01/2026) is given for teams that can no longer attend.

Any cancellations after 30 days will not be refunded.

All teams must be paid in full by midnight one week before the event (20/02/2026) unless they risk being removed from the event.
Date: 1-Mar-2026 - 2-Mar-2026
Telford International Centre
Saint Quentin Gate
Telford, TF3 4JH
United Kingdom

Travel Info

 

ADDRESS.

Telford International Centre, International Way, Telford, Shropshire, TF3 4JH

PARKING.

We will be using Car Park 1 at the venue, entrance is via Gate A.

 

BY ROAD.

TIC's central location means it's easily accessible from anywhere in the UK. There are over 1500 car parking spaces on-site, all within easy walking distance of the venue.

SAT NAV POSTCODE: TF3 4JH

WHAT THREE WORDS: GENTLE, MOTIVATES, PARTY

 

BY RAIL.

Situated just over a mile from Telford Central Station, TIC is a 15 minute walk or two minute taxi drive away. There are regular services from Birmingham New Street, Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury.

 

BY AIR.

The International Centre is less than an hour by road from Birmingham International airport, with rail connections from Birmingham International Station.

Webcast

The event will be livestreamed. Streams will go live just before the event is due to begin. The VEX UK Nationals Channel is shown below and the streams will update as the event progresses.

Click here.

Judging Format

  • All In-Person Judging - The Team Interviews and Engineering Notebooks will be judged in-person the day of the event. 
     
  • Digital Engineering Notebook Submissions / In Person Team Interviews: Team interviews will be conducted in-person at the event. Engineering notebooks will be submitted digitally for evaluation  via a link found within the "My Account" panel of the team contact on RobotEvents.

    Notebooks being considering for awards will need to be be submitted digitally. The process for this can be found in the RECF Library here. If you have a physical notebook, please ensure it can be presented in digital format and ensure the link is in your Robot Events account by 23:59 on 22nd February.

Local Hotel Accommodation

Hotel

Approx Distance

Phone / Email

Albrighton Hall

30mins

[email protected]  01939 291000

Buckatree Hall

20mins

[email protected] 01952 641821

Days Inn

7mins

[email protected] 01952 238400

HIExpress Shrewsbury

20mins

[email protected] 01743 276020

Hawkstone Park

30mins

[email protected] 01948 841700

Haughton Hall

15mins

[email protected]  01952 468300

The Lion Hotel

30mins

[email protected]  01743 353107

The Lord Hill

25mins

[email protected]  01743 232601

Madeley Court

10mins

[email protected]  01952 680068

Park Inn

5mins

[email protected]  01952 429988

Prince Rupert

30mins

[email protected]  01743 499955

Telford Q

15mins

[email protected]  01952 429977

The Valley

15mins

[email protected]  01952 432247

The Whitehouse

15mins

[email protected]  01952 250700

HI Express Walsall

25mins

[email protected] 01902 705250

The Village Walsall

25mins

[email protected] 0844 9808041

The Mount

25mins

[email protected] 01902 752055

Mercure Wolves

30mins

[email protected] 01902 429216

Holiday Inn Walsall

25mins

[email protected] 01922 618800

Novotel Wolves

30mins

[email protected] 01902 871100

Ramada Wolves

30mins

[email protected] 01902 349500

Hadley Park

15mins

[email protected]  01952 677269

Park House

15mins

[email protected]  01952 461658

Priorslee

Campus

10mins

[email protected]

 

Practice Fields

Strategy Starts in the Pits – Make the Most of Your Practice Time

Before heading to the practice fields, take a few minutes to visit your alliance partner’s pit and talk through your match strategy. Bring your notepad, driver, and programmer so everyone is on the same page. That way, when you get to the practice field, you can focus on putting your plan into action, not creating one on the spot.

Here are a few more ways to make your practice time count:

  • Assign roles ahead of time—who is scoring, who is the loader, and who is the driver switch specialist focused on the clock?
  • Every minute counts—be ready to go as soon as you put your robot down on the field.
  • Take a photo of the field layout for quick reference during strategy talks.
  • Write down key strategy points and keep them in your notepad or on a whiteboard for easy review.
  • Be flexible. If something isn’t working in practice, use the time to troubleshoot and adjust your plan together.

Strategy and collaboration are key to success on the field, and practicing with purpose makes all the difference.

Practice Field Details

  • VEX IQ will have 14 practice fields, and 2 teams will share a field at all times.
  • Want to practice with your alliance partner? Plan ahead and come to the fields together!
  • Don’t forget—your physical robot must be with you when you get in line for the practice fields!

Best Practice Tip: Create a daily schedule for your team that includes time for meeting alliance partners, scouting, and practice field visits. You’ll be amazed at how much your team can accomplish with a little planning!

Skills Field Schedule

To enable planning, here is the timings for the Skills Fields access outside of the full schedule.

To join the queue for Skills, you must have your robot with you.

Sunday 1st March 2026

Skills Field Area (4 Fields)

08:45 - 10:15
10:45 - 12:00
14:00 - 18:00 

Brunel Division (3 Fields)

10:45 - 12:00 
14:30 - 16:30
 

Monday 2nd March 2026

Skills Field Area (4 Fields)

09:00 - 13:00

Brunel Division (3 Fields)

11:15 - 12:15

Finals

For the Elementary Division, the top 10 teams from the Rankings will go through to the FInals to compete in 5 Finals Matches.

FInals Matches will be interlinked with Middle School Matches. Once teams are in the Competition Queuing Area they will not be able to leave and take the robot.