FIRST® LEGO® League Future Edition

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FIRST LEGO League is changing

This year sees the introduction of the next era of FIRST LEGO League: a reimagined experience that makes it easier for teachers and coaches to inspire students and young people to discover their potential through STEM. The new format, Future Edition, will run in parallel with the existing format, now known as Founders Edition, for the 2026-27 season.

 

Founders Edition will continue to support the use of SPIKE Essential or WeDo 2.0 for the Explore division, and SPIKE Prime or Mindstorms EV3 for the Challenge division, while Future Edition will use the new LEGO Education Computer Science & AI sets.

 

Registration for the new season will open in August 2026, at which time details of tournaments and events for both formats will be published.

FIRST LEGO League Founders Edition 2026-27 will have two age-based divisions:

  • Explore (2nd Class to 6th Class, ages 7-12 years)
  • Challenge (6th Class to TY, ages 11-16 years).

The programme formats and required LEGO Education kits are unchanged (SPIKE Essential or WeDo 2.0 for Explore, and SPIKE Prime or Mindstorms EV3 for Challenge), so there's plenty of time to learn more about the new format and carefully plan how and when to make the switch. The 2025-26 UNEARTHED season was the last to include a Discover division for younger students.

FIRST LEGO League Future Edition 2026-27 will have two age-based divisions, identified by the corresponding age ranges:

  • FIRST LEGO League Ages 5-7
  • FIRST LEGO League Ages 8-16.

The new programmes will retain the key elements of core values and an innovation project based on the year's theme, while introducing a brand new game experience featuring:

  • Wireless Hardware with Built-In, Paired Functions for flexibility, accessibility, and variability
  • Game Models with Embedded Hardware, making them interactive and adding a layer of strategy
  • Semi-Cooperative Matches on a Shared Game Field, rewarding coordination and collaboration
  • Unique Player Roles using robotic and mechanical tools built and developed by the team.

Future Edition will use the new LEGO Education Computer Science & AI sets.

LEGO Education product line-up

LEGO Education have announced the end of production of SPIKE Prime and SPIKE Essential, with support to continue until June 2031. Both products can be used in FIRST LEGO League Founders Edition 2026-27 and in LEGO League 2027-28, and of course for other STEM activities beyond that, but cannot be used in LEGO League from the 2028-29 season onwards.

 

The LEGO Education Computer Science & AI range includes three sets for ages 5+, 8+ and 11+, all of which use the same underlying technology and have a similar look and feel for continuity, while offering age-appropriate components and lesson plans in each case. The programming environment will be familiar to users of the SPIKE App, although it will primarily be accessed through a web browser (with projects stored locally on the device) and will connect individually to each hardware element (motors, sensors, controllers) using Bluetooth. Hardware elements may also be paired directly with one another using Connection Cards, meaning no programming is required to activate built-in functions.

 

Further details of the number (depending on class or group size) and type (depending on age range) of Computer Science & AI kits required for participation in Future Edition will be made available closer to the launch of the new season in August 2026.

Naming Conventions

You may see different naming conventions being used for LEGO Education Computer Science & AI kits and for FIRST LEGO League Future Edition depending on the intended audience, although the use of locale-specific naming is not consistent. We will use age ranges in all of our materials.

 

LEGO Education Computer Science & AI

SKU 45520 = Age 5+ / US Grade K-2 / UK Year 1-3 : colour sensor, single motor

SKU 45521 = Age 8+ / US Grade 3-5 / UK Year 4-6 : colour sensor, double motor

SKU 45522 = Age 11+ / US Grade 6-8 / UK Year 7-9 : colour sensor, single motor, double motor, controller

 

FIRST LEGO League Future Edition

FIRST LEGO League Ages 5-7 (International) / FIRST LEGO League K-2 (US Grades)

FIRST LEGO League Ages 8-16 (International) / FIRST LEGO League 3-8 (US Grades)

LEGO Education and FIRST

In addition to the changes outlined above, LEGO Education subsequently announced the end of their partnership with FIRST. This has no impact on the 2026-27 season of FIRST LEGO League, which will run as planned and as described above.

 

The 2027-28 season will see the launch of LEGO League, a hands-on competitive STEM program for students aged 5–16. The inaugural LEGO League season will deliver an experience for both LEGO Education Computer Science & AI and legacy SPIKE hardware.

 

The 2028-2029 LEGO League season and onwards will be based solely on the LEGO Education Computer Science & AI platform, as had already been announced in connection with the retirement of the SPIKE product line.

 

Watch this space for further updates!