A new era of FIRST LEGO League is coming to Michigan!

FIRST has announced a new era for FLL! What does this mean for Michigan teams? This page is intended to cover all you need to know about upcoming changes as they apply to elementary teams who are part of the FIRST in Michigan family.

We are receiving information directly from FIRST and LEGO as we plan to provide events and support for teams in Michigan. There is misinformation and information that doesn’t apply to Michigan out there, so please find authoritative information for Michigan teams from the links below and this page. Reach out if you have any questions!

This page covers upper elementary teams. You can find information about the new lower elementary program here: FLLE Program Update page

General New Program Information

• FIRST Written Announcement
• Video Announcement
• Frequently Asked Questions

• Important update: LEGO® Education SPIKE™ portfolio retiring
• LEGO Education FIRST LEGO League page
• LEGO® Education Computer Science & AI product page
• LEGO® Education Computer Science & AI FAQ document

FIRST in Michigan Information

• FIRST LEGO League will still fit within Michigan’s Progression of Programs as an elementary program. While you may see information about other grade levels elsewhere in the U.S. or internationally, teams registered in Michigan will experience the new FIRST LEGO League platform for grades K-2 and 3-5, with the same current exception for 6th graders who are in an elementary (K-6, 3-6, etc.) building to participate with 3-5.
• Michigan will run both Founders and Future qualifying events and state championships in 2026 and 2027, and all teams will have an equal chance at advancement to state championships. We expect that many teams will continue to participate in Founders for the 2026 season, with some innovative teams/schools trying out the new Future edition and helping model what the new program looks like in Michigan!
• Teams and coaches do not need to figure out the new program alone in Michigan! Look for upcoming coach emails with details about FIM calls which will cover everything you need to know.
• Please see a list of FAQs below specifically for Michigan teams.

FAQ for Michigan Teams

Will FIRST in Michigan have both Founders and Future Edition events?

Yes, we are fortunate to have a large FLL program in Michigan (nearly 2000 teams!) with dozens of events at each level, so we will be able to scale to meet the needs of teams as they transition to the Founders Edition on a timeline that makes sense for them. You will receive surveys from FIRST in Michigan in coming months requesting information about your plans, after teams have all necessary information to make that decision, and this will allow us to plan event capacities.

Will there be grants available to transition to the new Edition?

Grant information is not available from FIRST yet. While FIRST in Michigan will likely continue to have grants for new and additional teams which did not previously exist at a school/district, it is too early to know if there may be other grants available to teams as they transition to the Future Edition. We expect the Michigan 99h grant for competitive robotics to continue, which will help provide funds for teams to purchase new equipment. Teams should also be planning fundraising and sponsorship options to help fund new equipment.

What is the timeline for both editions for Michigan next year?

Our fall season will occur as usual in August-December 2026 and include both Founders and Future edition events at the qualifying and state level. There will also be spring rookie events in April/May 2027, but they will only be for new Future edition teams, as all Founders teams at that point will be veteran teams and not eligible for spring events.

What do we need to purchase for Future Edition for our teams?

While you can see the new equipment available from LEGO Education already for pre-order, the kit pricing/options available through the FIRST Dashboard have not been announced yet. As registration in May approaches, we will have more details available. In general, there will be two options:

• Purchase the correct grade-level kits (3-5) and the expansion set which has additional parts needed for the game.
• Purchase the grade 6-8 kit which will contain all parts necessary for the game.

We are told to expect the two options to cost the same. Each 3-5 team will need two kits (one for the new interactive field elements!) though it will be possible for teams at the same school to share the second set, so we expect 3 kits for 2 teams will work as well if cost is a concern.

We will discuss the specific kit options in more detail on a future call, well before registration opens and purchases need to be made. If you do plan to move to Future Edition for 2026/2027 and you need budgeting information for grant purposes, please reach out to FIRST in Michigan to discuss your specific needs.

I'm a coach, and I just want to get one set to try out as soon as possible. What should I order?

If you want to make a pre-order of a kit to try the new equipment out, order one CS&AI 6-8 kit from LEGO Education which is expected to ship in April.

What will team sizes be?

From FIRST: “The recommended team size for FIRST® LEGO® League gameplay is eight (8) students, but a team size of between four (4) and eight (8) participants can still work. The game is designed to ensure rotation between roles so that all students can try different specialties.”

Can teams be less than 4 students?

Materials and game play for Future Edition 3-5 are designed for 4 students at a minimum. Only 10 teams of less than 4 students registered this past year for FLLC in Michigan, so we do not expect this to a be a problem for the majority of teams, but we are happy to discuss ways to make it work!

Can teams be more than 10 students?

We do not have updated participation rules from FIRST for Future Edition yet, but once we do, we will know the official allowable team size. FIRST in Michigan has always recommended teams of no more than 6-8 students, even when the official team limit was 10, for the best student experience.

Will we still be able to use Technic pieces? Additional pieces other than the kit?

Yes, the CS&I kits use a mix of system and Technic pieces, and the hardware have connection points for pins so Technic pieces can be attached. Teams will also be able to use additional LEGO elements, subject to rule limitations.

Are we using the same tables or do we need new ones?

Yes, same tables, but now two mats, each 4×4, will fill the table.

Is there still a project? Judging?

Yes, both of those elements will still be included in events, and we look forward to more sharing more details about those with teams when the season materials are available in August.

What happens if we will need an additional team next year but are not ready to move our program to Future Edition? Do we need to wait to expand?

No!! Additional Founders Edition teams can still be registered, though SPIKE robot kits will be retired in June. We have a number of sets in Michigan available, and we will have a form to match you with teams who want to sell/donate their SPIKE robot kits as they purchase CS&AI kits and move into Future Edition.

Can a team do both editions? Can a school have teams in both?

Yes! Teams will be able to register again for the other edition. And yes, schools can have some teams who have transitioned to Future Edition and some who do so later. One option that several larger programs are considering is allowing their current students to remain in Founders and finish out their FLL experience while having new students in FLL begin in Future Edition.

Will we keep our team number? Will we be rookie teams once we move to Future Edition?

When a team is ready to convert to Future Edition, they will be assigned a new number during the conversion. This does not mean you are a rookie team, as rookie status is determined by the number of teams previously registered at a school/district/organization. You will also not have to re-enter your details for each team (good news for our large programs!)

How will post-championship advancement work?

FIRST expects World Festival for the 2026-2027 season to invite Founders teams this coming year, with Open Invitational opportunities for both editions as well. FIRST in Michigan will as always advance teams to every spot offered to us of any edition. The next year it is expected that the ratio of teams will flip, with World Festival inviting Future Edition teams.