On this page you will find answers to frequently asked questions. The information applies to all FIRST LEGO League teams, classes, and events in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

If your question is not answered here, please feel free to contact us by email.

Note: Since the 2022/23 season, all official season-specific updates to Robot Game rules and missions have been published in our Season Updates.

Aktuelle Informationen: LEGO® League

Official Announcement: LEGO® League from the 2027/28 Season

Published on June 4, 2026

LEGO® Education Announces Its Successor Program to FIRST® LEGO® League: On June 4, 2026, LEGO® Education shared information about the future direction of its global educational and competition program.

As announced in March, the FIRST® LEGO® League 2026/27 BIOGLOW™ season will be the final season of the long-standing partnership between FIRST® and LEGO® Education. Following this season, LEGO® Education will launch a new program called LEGO® League in August 2027.

According to LEGO® Education, LEGO® League will build on the proven strengths of the current program and continue to provide hands-on STEM learning, teamwork, creativity, and competition opportunities for children and young people aged 5 to 16. Events will continue to be offered at local, regional, national, and international levels.

In the 2027/28 LEGO® League season, teams will be able to participate using existing LEGO® Education SPIKE™ systems, legacy robotics systems, as well as the new LEGO® Education Computer Science & AI platform. Beginning with the 2028/29 season, LEGO® League is expected to use LEGO® Education Computer Science & AI as its primary robotics platform. The use of LEGO bricks for team models and constructions will continue without restrictions.

For FIRST® LEGO® League, this announcement marks the conclusion of a highly successful partnership FIRST® and LEGO® Education that has spanned many years. At the same time, it represents the beginning of a new chapter in the evolution of educational robotics and STEM competitions for young people around the world.

HANDS on TECHNOLOGY remains in close contact with LEGO® Education and will continue to monitor these developments closely. At this time, not all details regarding future structures, competition formats, and international frameworks have been announced. We will keep our community informed as soon as further official information becomes available.

We would like to thank all teams, classes, coaches, partners, and supporters who have brought FIRST® LEGO® League to life in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland over the years. Together, we have inspired countless young people to explore science, technology, and innovation, and we look forward to continuing this journey in the future.

The official statement from LEGO Education can be found at https://education.lego.com/de-de/lego-league/program-update/.

Ersetzt LEGO League die FIRST LEGO League?

Ja. Die Saison 2026/27 BIOGLOW™ wird die letzte FIRST LEGO League Saison sein. Ab 2027 wird LEGO Education das neue Programm LEGO League anbieten. In Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz richtet HANDS on TECHNOLOGY e.V. die LEGO League gemeinsam mit regionalen Partner:innen aus.

Entspricht LEGO League der Future Edition?

Die erste LEGO League Saison 2027/28 wird in zwei Varianten angeboten.

- für Teams mit LEGO Education SPIKE™ und älteren Systemen sowie

- für Teams mit LEGO Education Informatik & KI.

Die Variante mit LEGO Education Informatik & KI baut auf dem Konzept der Future Edition auf und wird künftig weiterentwickelt. Im Mittelpunkt stehen Computational Thinking, Konstruktionsaufgaben sowie die gemeinsame Entwicklung von Lösungen für reale Herausforderungen im Rahmen eines jährlichen Saisonthemas.

Was sind die Kernelemente der LEGO League?

LEGO League basiert auf vier zentralen Bestandteilen:

- eine spielerische Konstruktions- und Designaufgabe

- ein praxisnahes MINT-Projekt zu einer realen Fragestellung

- Veranstaltungen auf Schul-, Regional-, Landes- und internationaler Ebene

- die Förderung von Zusammenarbeit, Kommunikation, Kreativität und kritisches Denken

Zusätzlich erhalten Teilnehmende Zugang zu digitalen Lern- und Unterrichtsmaterialien von LEGO Education, darunter das Coding Canvas, das Teacher Portal und weitere unterstützende Ressourcen.

Ändert diese Ankündigung etwas an den bisherigen Planungen?

Nein. Es bleibt dabei: 2026/27 BIOGLOW™ ist die letzte FIRST LEGO League Saison. 2027/28 startet die LEGO League mit LEGO Education Informatik & KI sowie bestehenden Robotiksystemen. Ab 2028/29 basiert LEGO League ausschließlich auf LEGO Education Informatik & KI.

 

Wie sieht der Zeitplan der LEGO League aus?

LEGO League folgt einem vertrauten Ablauf: In Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz beginnt die Anmeldung für die Saison 2027/28 im Mai 2027, nach Abschluss der BIOGLOW™-Saison. Die Aufgaben werden im August veröffentlicht und markieren den offiziellen Saisonstart. Veranstaltungen finden anschließend von November bis April statt.

Welche Hardware wird für die Teilnahme an der LEGO League benötigt?

Die Spielaufgaben und Teammodelle basieren auf den LEGO Education Informatik & KI Sets und der dazugehörigen Hardware. Für Teammodelle und Konstruktionen können weiterhin alle LEGO Steine verwendet werden, einschließlich LEGO Technic Elementen.
*Hinweis: Bei den Informatik & KI 8+ wird zusätzliche Hardware benötigt.

Welche Programmierplattform wird bei der LEGO League verwendet?

Teams können entweder blockbasiert mit dem LEGO Education Coding Canvas programmieren oder auf textbasierte Programmierung mit Python umsteigen.

*Hinweis: Python kann in gängigen Entwicklungsumgebungen (IDEs) wie beispielsweise Visual Studio Code lokal genutzt werden.

Wie groß dürfen die Teams bei der LEGO League sein?

Für die Altersgruppe 5–7 Jahre sind Teams mit 4 Teilnehmenden vorgesehen. Für die Altersgruppe 8–16 Jahre empfiehlt LEGO Education Teams mit 6 Teilnehmenden, bei einer Mindestgröße von 4 und einer empfohlenen Maximalgröße von 10 Teilnehmenden. Die endgültigen Teamgrößen können je nach Land oder Region variieren. HANDS on TECHNOLOGY e.V. wird hierzu rechtzeitig eine Vorgabe für den DACH-Raum festlegen.

Für welche Altersgruppen ist die LEGO League gedacht?

Die LEGO League umfasst zwei Altersgruppen:

  • 5–7 Jahre: Teams mit vier Kindern bearbeiten eine altersgerechte Aufgabe zum jeweiligen Saisonthema. Dazu gehören das Bauen und Programmieren einer Lösung sowie ein kleines Forschungsprojekt mit Präsentation.
  • 8–16 Jahre: Diese Altersgruppe arbeitet an einem jährlichen Wettbewerb mit Spielaufgaben, Konstruktionsherausforderungen, einem Forschungsprojekt und einer Präsentation. Innerhalb dieser Altersgruppe werden altersgerechte Wertungen und Lernangebote geschaffen, um faire Wettbewerbsbedingungen für alle Teilnehmenden sicherzustellen.
Wie lange wird LEGO Education Informatik & KI in der LEGO League eingesetzt?

LEGO Education hat erklärt, dass die neue Plattform LEGO® Education Informatik & KI langfristig Bestandteil der LEGO League sein wird. Die Plattform bildet die Grundlage für zukünftige Entwicklungen und soll neue Möglichkeiten für Lernen, Zusammenarbeit und Wettbewerb eröffnen.

Wie werden die Wettbewerbe bei der LEGO League aufgebaut sein?

Die Veranstaltungsstruktur der LEGO League wird den bisherigen Wettbewerbsprogrammen von LEGO Education ähneln. Teams können an lokalen, regionalen, nationalen und internationalen Events teilnehmen und sich für die jeweils nächste Ebene qualifizieren. Anpassungen und Weiterentwicklungen des Formats sind dabei weiterhin möglich.

Wie werden die KI-Funktionen von LEGO Education Informatik & KI in der LEGO League eingesetzt?

Die KI-Funktionen sollen sinnvoll in die LEGO League integriert werden. Bereits in der Saison 2027/28 können Spielaufgaben und Lerninhalte Elemente der LEGO Education Informatik & KI Plattform sowie deren KI-Werkzeuge einbeziehen. Weitere Details werden von LEGO Education schrittweise veröffentlicht.

Wie kann ich mich für die LEGO League anmelden?

Die Anmeldung für die LEGO League in Deutschland Österreich und der Schweiz beginnt im Mai 2027.

Was kostet die Teilnahme an der LEGO League

Hierzu können wir aktuell noch keine Auskunft geben. Wir werden rechtzeitig vor Beginn der ersten LEGO League Saison unsere Community zu den Teilnahmepreisen informieren.

Ist LEGO League nur für Schulen gedacht oder auch für außerschulische Teams geeignet?

Nein. An der LEGO League können Teams aus Schulen, AGs, Vereinen, Jugendzentren und anderen außerschulischen Gruppen teilnehmen. LEGO Education betont, dass sowohl schulische als auch außerschulische Teams weiterhin willkommen sind und unterstützt Lehrkräfte sowie Coaches bei der Betreuung mehrerer Teams.

General

Update on partnership between FIRST and LEGO Education

What impact does the end of the partnership between FIRST and LEGO Education have?

LEGO Education has announced that it will not continue its partnership with FIRST beyond the 2026/27 FIRST LEGO League season.

The official statements can be found here:

What does this mean for the DACH region?

No changes for the 2026/27 season:
The upcoming season will take place as planned. In addition to the established Founders Edition formats (Explore and Challenge based on SPIKE and previous systems), the new Future Edition offerings will also be introduced. These target the 5–7 and 8–16 age groups and are based on the new LEGO Education “Computer Science & AI” product.

From the 2027/28 season onwards:
LEGO Education and FIRST will each offer their own STEM education programs.

LEGO Education’s program for the 2027/28 season will include both “Computer Science & AI” and SPIKE as well as its predecessor systems.
The new FIRST program will also continue to support SPIKE and previous systems.

As an official partner of FIRST and LEGO Education, we will closely monitor and evaluate further developments to ensure the best possible outlook for the DACH region.

Our goal remains unchanged: to inspire children and young people in technology, science, and teamwork, and to continue advancing this mission together with a strong partner network. We will keep our community informed about all further developments.

Development of FIRST LEGO League: Future and Founders Edition

How does <em> FIRST </em> LEGO League evolve?

The Future Edition is the next evolution of the FIRST LEGO League, introduced in January 2026 by FIRST and LEGO Education. Its goal is to better align the program with modern learning requirements and to make it easier to use in classrooms. The new concept is based on the LEGO® Education “Computer Science & AI” sets and expands the previous format with features such as wireless hardware, interactive challenge models, new team roles, and partially cooperative game mechanics. At the same time, the playful STEM approach is maintained, aiming to engage even more children and young people.

Starting in the 2026/27 season, a transition phase begins in which the existing “Founders Edition” (based on SPIKE) and the new Future Edition (based on Computer Science & AI) will be offered in parallel.

More information is available on our Future Edition website.

Link Co-Coaches With a Team

How can I become a co-coach and is it possible if I am not 18 yet?

A team can be supervised by several coaches and/or mentors. However, there can only be one "official" coach registering the team and keeping in contact with us. This coach will receive all necessary information regarding the tournament and is regarded by us as the responsible person on tournament day.

The main coach can be supported and counselled by further coaches and/or mentors, who do not have to be over 18 (but at least 16).

Adult co-coaches can set up a coach account and then link with the team.*

Underage co-coaches cannot set up a coach account (due to youth protection guidelines) but may accompany and support the team during meeting and tournaments. However, the head coach can add underage co-coaches manually through "Register Co-Coach" dialog in the the coach account.

Coaching the teams during their process is a crucial task of coaches and/or mentors. Nonetheless, they are not supposed to provide the team with solutions and, generally, should stay out of the team's work processes. We welcome former team members becoming (co-)coaches.

*Register as a co-coach

Step 1: Register as a coach!
- Register as a coach at https://www.first-lego-league.org/en/login.
- After registering you will receive an email with a verification link which you have to confirm.
Step 2: Link yourself to the team/class!
- log in to the Coach login at https://www.first-lego-league.org/en/login
- in the dialog "Register Co-Coach", enter the four-digit team or class number provided to you by the head coach
Step 3: Approval by the head coach
- The head coach will now receive an email with the information that you would like to be linked to the team/class as a co-coach.
- The head coach confirms the request by clicking on a link.
Step 4: Log in and view the data of the team/class!

Changing coach

- Complete steps 1-3 of the co-coach registration.
- Write an email to info@hands-on-technology.org and ask to be registered as the main coach. Also inform us if the other coach should now be registered as a co-coach or if he/she should be deleted from the team/class completely.

Participation of Teams From Other Countries

Can my team participate in the tournament even if we don't live in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland?

Teams can register and participate in a regional tournament in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, regardless of which country they come from. However, further qualification is only possible for teams from the respective country of the regional tournament.
Required Items

Do I have to bring my Engineering Notebook to the regional tournament?

It is not compulsory to bring your Engineering Notebook to the regional tournament. However, it may be useful to be able to document your work to the judges.

In other words: You may, but you don't have to bring the Engineering Notebook to the regional tournament.

Disqualification

Can a team be disqualified?

If a team does not exhibit core values at a FIRST LEGO League tournament, they may be disqualified from winning any awards – including Robot Game, no matter how well they scored.

Adults are strictly prohibited from directing team members or interfering with the judging process or robot game matches in any way.

Coding Skills of the Coaches

As coach, do I have to know how to code the LEGO robots myself?

No. It’s not difficult to pick up the basics of the EV3 Classroom or SPIKE software, and it’s up to the team members to find the information they need to complete the challenges.

The latest version of the EV3 Classroom and SPIKE software has a "Getting Started" section with very useful lessons.

Download the latest version of the software.

Withdrawal From the Tournament

My team is new to FIRST LEGO League Challenge and we don’t think we’ll be ready to compete at the tournament. Can we pull out?

As long as your team have made an effort at tackling the project and Robot Game in the spirit of the Core Values, they will learn a lot from attending the tournament and will enjoy the day. The aim of the tournament is to celebrate the work that the students have done. All tournament staff will be working hard to make sure that there is a positive, encouraging atmosphere, so whether the team win an award or not they should come away feeling good about their work.
 
If they’ve enjoyed working on the challenges and have fun at the tournament then you will have completed a successful first year in FIRST LEGO League, and should be well placed to go again next season!
Missing Parts in the FIRST LEGO League Season Set

What can I do if parts are missing from my Discover, Explore or Challenge Set?

If you're missing LEGO parts or bags from your FIRST LEGO League Challenge Set, please contact LEGO Customer Service at: https://www.lego.com/service/contact-us. You can reach customer service via email, phone, or chat in various languages.

Qualification Mode of the Robot Game

At the regional tournament, which team will qualify in Robot Game after the 3 preliminary rounds, if 2 teams have the same score in their best match?

If 2 teams have the same score in their best match in the Robot Game after the 3 preliminary rounds, the scores of the second best preliminary or – if there is also the same number of points – the third best preliminary round of both teams will be compared. The team with the higher score qualifies.

If 2 teams always score the same number of points in the 3 preliminary rounds, a play-off will be run (1 match).

Language at the Regional Tournament

Does the presentation of the Research Project have to be presented in the respective local language?

The language used in the regional tournament is determined by the respective national language. This is done to ensure the same conditions for everyone.

This applies for all evaluations, presentations, interviews with the judges and for the presentation of the regional tournament.

Robot Setup

What happens if a robot was built following buildings instructions?

Teams that build a robot with the aid of building instructions must expect the robot not to be assessed as the team’s own creative achievement for the category Robot Design.

It should also be noted that the circulating building instructions often refer only to basic robots that meet the specific requirements of the actual season only inadequately.

Therefore: no plagiarism! What counts for the category Robot Design is the team’s creative achievement in coding and design!

Research

Obligation to Publish

Are we obliged to publish the results ahead of our presentation on the tournament day?

Each team is obliged to publish the results ahead of the tournament. This can happen in several ways: a presentation in front of parents, students, teachers or the interviewed experts, writing an article or creating a website or blog etc. The team should show the form of publishing within their presentation e.g. by a photo.

Present Problem Analysis and Results

What does the presentation include?

Each team should explain the conditions under which they selected the problem. Show how you researched and came to a solution for the problem you chose. It is not enough to present only the results.

Sources

Shall we name our sources? Do the sources have to be part of the presentation or is it sufficient to show them at the end of the presentation?

A good presentation will, at the very least, provide an overview of all the sources the team has worked with throughout the research project. It would also be great to have direct references to the sources at the appropriate point within the five-minute presentation.

Material for Judges

Do we have to prepare some written material or our presentation in written form for the judges?

No, you don´t have to produce a written material for the judges. Important is the presentation and its content you perform for the judges.

 

The Technical Approach of the Research Project

Does the Research Project has to have a technical approach?

No, the research project does not have to contain a technical approach.

Duration of Research Presentation

How much time do we have for the presentation of our research results?

At a FIRST LEGO League Challenge tournament you have 5 minutes time (actual presentation time, not set up time) to present your results to the jury. The manner of presentation is up to you – you can create a role play, use powerpoint and so on. Give your presentation live – you may use media equipment (if available) but only to enhance the live presentation.

Topic

Can we pick any topic we like?

No, the topics are limited to the topics listed in the Research Project documents.

Robot Game Field & Missions

Border Walls

What are the dimensions of the border walls of the official tables used during a FIRST LEGO League Challenge tournament?

The measurements are published on our website. There you'll find assembly instructions for new tables with border dimensions of 8 cm high and 4 cm wide. The border dimensions of 10 cm high and 5 cm wide are the measurements of the "old tables".

Please note: Some tournaments use new and some use old tables. Please contact the FIRST LEGO League Regional Partner of your chosen tournament to request the measurements of their tables.

Variations of the Official Robot Game Tables

Are the tables identical at all tournaments?

Please consider while constructing and programming that there can be variations between different tournaments depending on local conditions. The variations might occure in differenciations in the character of the field borders, lightning conditions, structure/irregularties of the field mat. At many tournaments there is no opportunity to roll out the mats early enough so that they might be a little bit wavy. Place and severity of waves can vary.

Hint: There are two important construction techniques to minimize differences in illumination:

1. Avoid control systems containing something that might rub on the mat.
2. Hide light sensors from ambient light.

Questions relating to the local conditions at regional tournaments can be posed directly to the Regional Partners. Please find there contact dates on the Location websites.

Robot Game Rules

Mode of Awarding the Cup

"One team, one award" rule

Starting with the 2020/21 season of FIRST LEGO League Challenge:

One team can only win one award. If it already won the award in one category, the team cannot win an award in the other categories.

The exceptions are the awards for Robot Game and Coaching: teams that win one or both of these categories can also receive another award.

A team can therefore win a maximum of three awards in one tournament.

SD Memory Card and Firmware change

Are we allowed to use an SD memory card for the EV3 and are we allowed to play another firmware onto the EV3 to use other programming environments?

Yes, you are allowed to use a SD Memory Card in your EV3 and yes, you can play another firmware onto the EV3.

Use of LEGO Pneumatic

Is LEGO pneumatic allowed?

Yes – like other LEGO equipment, Pneumatic is allowed (as described in the robot game rules).

Use of LEGO DUPLO

Is it allowed to use LEGO DUPLO?

Yes, it’s allowed to use LEGO DUPLO at Challenge tournaments as equipment (like other LEGO equipment, as described in the Robot Game Rules).

Support
You are welcome to support us with a monetary donation.

Partnering for education and innovation! We cooperate with companies, foundations and ministries.

  • Diese Maßnahme wird mitfinanziert mit Steuermitteln auf Grundlage des vom Sächsischen Landtag beschlossenen Haushaltes.

We are awarded

We are supporting

Transparent Civil Society Initiative

Sustainability Goals