Season Updates

The excitement is building: which FIRST LEGO League Challenge Teams will make it from their regional events to the next round? The qualification key determines how many teams from each region advance to the qualifiers.

The grand FIRST LEGO League Finals are just around the corner! We’re excited to welcome many teams to Siegen at the end of March. Currently, there are still a few spots available for Explore Teams. Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase your creative models and posters to a large audience and be part of a unique event!.

Starting in spring 2025, we’re offering a free training series for educators, including how to integrate the FIRST LEGO League program into your curriculum. In collaboration with VDI GaraGe Leipzig and with support from the TÜV SÜD Foundation, we’re making STEM education accessible and practical.

It’s getting exciting! The regional events of the FIRST LEGO League 2024/25 season are in full swing. Under the theme SUBMERGED, Explore teams are showcasing their creative models and team posters at inspiring exhibitions for reviewers. Meanwhile, Challenge teams are competing, presenting their research projects, and demonstrating their skills with autonomous robots. Dedicated volunteer referees and judges evaluate performances in categories such as robotics, research, and the FIRST Core Values

The exciting FIRST LEGO League season for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland is reaching its climax in Spring! From March 28 to 30, 2025, we warmly invite you to experience the finale in Siegen as a volunteer. At this event, 30 Challenge teams and 15 Explore teams will come together to celebrate the fascinating world of STEM and robotics.

We’re thrilled to have the invaluable support of a dedicated team of category experts from our volunteer community, who work closely with us at headquarters. These experts are the direct voice of the community, offering guidance to our regional partners and teams alike. With their deep expertise, they ensure high-quality assessments in the Challenge categories and uphold the high standards of FIRST LEGO League across the DACH region.

We’re proud to introduce this team of experienced, passionate volunteers who play a vital role in maintaining the integrity of the judging process. They are key contacts for questions, help train judges and referees, and ensure that the values and quality standards of FIRST LEGO League are reliably implemented. Each expert brings years of experience as team members, coaches, or regional partners, as well as seasoned judges and referees, including experience in international FIRST LEGO League events.

Monthly Q&A Session for Coaches and Teams: November 6, 2024! Do you have questions about this season of the FIRST LEGO League? We’re here to support you! As teams prepare for regional events, many questions about different areas of the program may arise. Our open Q&A session for coaches and team members is an excellent opportunity to get answers.

Prepare for research during the SUBMERGED season with exciting Q&A sessions initiated by FIRST in collaboration with OceanX Education! OceanX Education organized three one-hour sessions aboard the OceanXplorer ship to address questions from FIRST LEGO League teams regarding ocean research.

The registration phase for FIRST LEGO League Challenge teams has concluded with the end of October. We are excited to announce that 744 teams are registered this season and will participate in a total of 56 competitions. The primary school program Explore is also very popular, with 274 teams already signed up for 56 exhibitions. By the way, Explore teams can continue to register until four weeks before their exhibition date.

Seid ihr bereit, die Zukunft der FIRST LEGO League mitzugestalten und euch mit anderen Enthusiasten aus Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz auszutauschen? Dann dürft ihr dieses Event nicht verpassen. Wir freuen uns, euch zum FIRST LEGO League Meetup am 26. Oktober 2024 von 9.30 bis 17 Uhr einzuladen!

Although the competitions are still a little way off, we’d like to bring your attention to a special award: the Coaching Award! While most categories are judged by the jury, there’s one award where you can have a say. Your coaches and co-coaches are doing outstanding work and deserve special recognition, which is why the best coaching will be awarded at every competition.

To ensure the best planning for FIRST LEGO League exhibitions and competitions, our regional partners need complete data for all teams. Please remember to enter and save your team members into your coach account by the respective registration deadlines. This is the only way to ensure enough seating and, if necessary, appropriate catering. No changes will be possible after the registration deadline!

The cooperation of FIRST LEGO League teams offers numerous advantages and promotes the further development of the participants. Steamworks Robotics from New York (USA), supports several dedicated teams that are competing in the current SUBMERGED season of the FIRST LEGO League. They are looking for international partner teams for an exciting exchange. The teams will start their preparation at the end of the month and would like to arrange virtual meetings with teams worldwide to share ideas, experiences and innovative approaches.

In a community post, FIRST emphasizes the integration of AI tools such as ChatGPT or Google Gemini into the resources that are also available to FIRST LEGO League participants. These tools open up new possibilities for teams and classes, for example by supporting them in code generation, processing sensor data and organizing materials for external presentation and the preparation of competition evaluations

We won’t leave you on your own! Especially after the kickoff and the announcement of the tasks, many questions may arise, particularly regarding the Robot Game. Our experienced FIRST LEGO League team is always available to answer your questions via email, in the Challenge Updates, or in the FAQs on our website. Additionally, we offer an open office hour for teams and coaches every first Wednesday of the month.

All FIRST LEGO League teams using the Mindstorms EV3 robot as part of the educational program can look forward to news from LEGO Education. The LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education EV3 app and the LEGO® Education WeDo 2.0 app will be available for download until July 31, 2026, for the following operating systems:

* iOS via the Apple App Store

* Android and Chromebook via the Google Play Store and the TenCent App Store

* Windows 10 via the Microsoft Store and the installer on legoeducation.com

* macOS via the Apple App Store and the installer on legoeducation.com

Even without fixed tasks, there are numerous ways to kick off the new season with your team – especially if you are new or looking to develop further. Check out our offerings and share them with your team members and other coaches.

Günther Schön, dedicated teacher and FIRST LEGO League coach at Geschwister-Scholl-Gymnasium in Ludwigshafen, was honored with the German Teacher Award 2023 for his exemplary work in the robotics club. The recognition of his work as a teacher and robotics coach (since 2008) highlights his commitment to student development and emphasizes the importance of the educational program for their personal and professional growth.

During the past MASTERPIECE season, several teams from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland qualified for international events and embarked on exciting journeys to impressive competitions. The conclusion of the FIRST LEGO League season was particularly successful for some teams!

The Schüler:innen-Forschungszentrum Mittelhessen e.V. in collaboration with the media centers of Gießen, Wetzlar, and Kirchhain and other partners, offers training sessions on the FIRST LEGO League. The target audience includes technology-enthusiastic teachers, trainee teachers, students, volunteers in educational work, (future) FIRST LEGO League coaches, and interested individuals.

Excitement is building as the new season approaches! Prepare for an exciting adventure full of discoveries and challenges in the depths of the sea! Starting now, we have opened registrations for teams and classes.

The prices consist of the participation fee and the costs for the program materials. This year, the price for the FIRST LEGO League Challenge Set increases by €10 due to rising purchasing costs, now totaling €139. All other prices remain unchanged.