A New Era for FIRST LEGO League: Inspiring the Next Generation of Learners

For nearly 30 years, FIRST^® LEGO^® League has helped millions of children and young people across 100+ countries explore the fun and creativity of STEM through hands-on robotics. With support from you — our incredible community — each season brings exciting new challenges and events to hundreds of thousands of participants, shaping how the next generation sees and experiences science, technology, engineering, and math.  

Many of you have witnessed this impact firsthand and shared your desire to reach even more students in your communities. We’ve been working on ways to help make that possible.  

Over the past few years, we’ve taken a close look at our program offerings through surveys and conversations with partners, coaches, and participants around the world. What we heard was clear: The needs of our community are evolving, and it’s time for FIRST LEGO League to evolve with them. We know the best place to reach the next generation is where they already learn every day — the classroom.  

Today, we’re excited to introduce the next era of the FIRST LEGO League journey: a reimagined experience that makes it easier for educators to inspire and for students everywhere to discover their potential through STEM.  

The Reimagined FIRST LEGO League 

The next generation of FIRST LEGO League creates an evolved experience leveraging LEGO^® Education Computer Science & AI kits, which consist of teacher support materials, bricks, hardware and code, designed for bringing computer science into the daily lives of students. The experience is designed to make implementation easy and seamless in both classrooms and after-school environments. With hardware powered by LEGO Education Computer Science & AI, the program will meaningfully engage every type of learner, including those who may not have naturally seen themselves in robotics or STEM. 

What’s New About FIRST LEGO League? 

FIRST LEGO League will retain the fun and thrill our community cherishes, with new features that make it more accessible and in alignment with next-gen learning: 

Wireless Hardware with Built-In, Paired Functions  

For the first time ever, FIRST LEGO League will utilize wireless hardware elements including sensors, motors, and a wireless controller – allowing us greater flexibility, accessibility, and variability.  

Game Models with Embedded Hardware   

We have utilized this system of hardware, splitting its use between team robotic solutions and motorizing game models – making them interactive and adding a new layer of strategy to the matches.  

Semi-Cooperative Matches on a Shared Game Field

Another new experience in FIRST LEGO League is the introduction of semi-cooperative gameplay, where teams compete side-by-side on a shared field that rewards coordination and collaboration during the 2.5-minute game. 

Unique Player Roles with Guided Missions  

All of these evolutions are supported by four unique team roles: Driver, Operator, Technician and Specialist. No longer will students simply launch their robots during games; they will play the game with the robotic and mechanical tools they built and developed.  

• Driver role: The Driver uses a controller to navigate a driving base around the field, collecting and delivering game elements.   

• Operator role: The Operator designs and uses a mechanical tool to handle and trigger game elements in their area.  

• Technician role: The Technician designs and uses a coded robotic tool to handle and trigger game elements in their area and around the field.   

• Specialist role: The Specialist controls the team's device and one or more robotic game elements on the field.  

Updated Program Grade and Age Bands 

Meeting students where they are also means updating our program age and grade bands to better represent our participants and their learning journeys. The reimagined FIRST LEGO League follows a model similar to sports, where everyone plays the same game, but teams are grouped by age and skill. This simpler, more unified structure removes learning barriers, streamlines delivery, and better reflects the needs of educators, coaches, and students.  

We will now have two age groups: 

United States & Canada  

• Ages 5-7: U.S. Grades K-2  
• Ages 8-14: U.S. Grades 3-8 

Internationally 

• Ages 5-7 

• Ages 8-16 

Outside the U.S. and Canada, we will still allow students up to the age of 16 to participate per the education systems and current standards of FIRST LEGO League Challenge. 

After FIRST LEGO League, students are encouraged to join FIRST^® Tech Challenge or FIRST^® Robotics Competition to continue developing their skills and love for STEM.  

The 2025-2026 UNEARTHED™ season will be the final year we offer the Discover division (ages 4-6 / US Grades PreK-1) with a DUPLO-based experience. With the introduction of LEGO Education Computer Science & AI, FIRST and LEGO Education will now introduce students to FIRST LEGO League starting at age 5, or the K-2 grade level. 

Program Transition Updates 

So, what does this next chapter mean for the FIRST LEGO League community?

2026-2028 

FIRST LEGO League will enter a new, temporary chapter beginning August 2026, with two editions running in parallel through May 2028: 

• Founders Edition (SPIKE™-based): The FIRST LEGO League program as it exists today, continuing with LEGO Education SPIKE™ technology. The last season for Founders Edition is 2027-2028. 

• Future Edition (Based on LEGO Education Computer Science & AI hardware): A new experience powered by LEGO Education Computer Science & AI, designed to expand access and engagement for students and educators. The first season for Future Edition is the 2026-2027 season. 

This two-edition model will give teams and educators flexibility to transition at their own pace as the new experience becomes available in each region. 

With the overall program changes, it’s important to note that the new FIRST LEGO League experience is not compatible with LEGO Education SPIKE™ technology or other legacy products. 

After the 2027-2028 Season 

After Founders Edition runs its last season in 2027, we’ll retire the FIRST LEGO League division names – currently Discover, Explore, and Challenge – in favor of a simpler, more unified structure focused on age and skill. By the launch of the 2028-2029 season, the Founders Edition of the program will retire, and the “Edition” naming will be phased out. It will be a cohesive program that is easier to understand and ready to inspire the next generation of creators.

Join Us for the Next Era of FIRST LEGO League 

In the coming weeks, we'll share more details about the program's changes, and you'll be hearing from your local FIRST LEGO League Partner about what that means in your region. 

Stay tuned for updates and get ready to join us in this exciting new era of FIRST LEGO League!  

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