BIOGLOW 2026–2027 is the final season of FIRST LEGO League. After nearly three decades of collaboration, FIRST and LEGO Education are going separate ways. That does not mean youth robotics is ending, and it does not make SPIKE hardware obsolete overnight. Instead, 2027 marks the start of two different paths: LEGO Education will launch its own LEGO League, while FIRST develops new K–8 programs outside the former partnership.

Because several names are similar, it helps to define them first.

Before anything else: what do all these names mean?

FIRST

FIRST is the nonprofit organization behind international robotics and STEM programs for young people. For nearly 30 years, it partnered with LEGO Education on FIRST LEGO League.

LEGO Education

LEGO Education is the education-focused division of the LEGO Group, developing classroom hardware, software and learning programs for STEM subjects.

FIRST LEGO League

FIRST LEGO League, usually shortened to FLL, is the long-running program created through the FIRST and LEGO Education partnership. Teams learn engineering, coding, problem-solving and collaboration, with older participants building and programming robots to complete missions on a competition field.

LEGO Education SPIKE

SPIKE is LEGO Education’s current robotics platform, including SPIKE Prime and SPIKE Essential, programmable hubs, motors, sensors, building elements and coding software. It has been central to many FIRST LEGO League teams.

BIOGLOW

BIOGLOW is the name of the 2026–2027 FIRST LEGO League season, focused on biodiversity. It is also the final FIRST LEGO League season.

Founders Edition

Founders Edition is the BIOGLOW pathway that continues with familiar LEGO Education SPIKE hardware. For existing teams, it is the closest continuation of the traditional FIRST LEGO League setup.

Future Edition

Future Edition is the second BIOGLOW pathway, built around LEGO Education’s newer Computer Science & AI platform. It previews the technology direction LEGO Education intends to use in its future program.

LEGO Education Computer Science & AI

Computer Science & AI, or CS & AI, is LEGO Education’s newer learning platform. It is used in BIOGLOW Future Edition and is planned to become the required technology platform for LEGO League beginning with the 2028–2029 season.

LEGO League

LEGO League is a new program from LEGO Education launching in August 2027. Despite the similar name, it is not simply FIRST LEGO League with a shorter title. FIRST LEGO League ends after BIOGLOW; LEGO League starts afterward as a separate LEGO Education program.

What exactly is ending?

FIRST announced in March 2026 that LEGO Education had chosen not to renew the partnership agreement. The 2026–2027 season is therefore the last season of FIRST LEGO League.

BIOGLOW launched on August 4, 2026, and FIRST again described it as the program’s final season. The partnership dates back to 1998 and has reached millions of students internationally.

BIOGLOW has two tracks in its final season

Teams may encounter two different versions of the final season. Founders Edition uses SPIKE, while Future Edition uses Computer Science & AI. Availability, event formats and schedules can vary by region.

Both are still part of FIRST LEGO League. Future Edition is not the same thing as the new LEGO League, even though it helps preview the technology that LEGO Education will carry forward.

What happens in August 2027?

LEGO Education plans to launch LEGO League in August 2027 as a STEM program for ages 5 to 16, with participation through schools and other learning environments. LEGO Education says the program will include school, local, regional, national and international events.

The first 2027–2028 season is designed as a transition year. LEGO Education plans one route for teams using SPIKE and legacy hardware, and another for teams using Computer Science & AI.

Do SPIKE owners need to replace their hardware now?

No. SPIKE does not suddenly become unusable because the partnership is ending.

LEGO Education ended sales of the SPIKE portfolio on June 30, 2026, but says the SPIKE app will remain supported until June 30, 2031. During that support period, LEGO Education says it will continue addressing bugs and operating-system compatibility, although new features are not planned after retirement.

SPIKE is also expected to remain usable in the first LEGO League season in 2027–2028, giving schools and teams additional time before moving to newer hardware.

What changes in 2028–2029?

From the 2028–2029 LEGO League season, Computer Science & AI is planned to become the required hardware platform. That does not mean teams will be restricted to only those parts for construction. LEGO Education says teams will still be able to use other LEGO elements, including LEGO Technic pieces, in their builds.

The main change is therefore the electronics and programming platform used for the official challenge system.

What is FIRST doing without LEGO?

FIRST is not leaving younger students behind. The organization says it is developing a new generation of programs for K–8 participants after FIRST LEGO League ends. Full details are still being rolled out.

That creates two distinct paths from 2027 onward: LEGO Education’s new LEGO League, and a separate set of FIRST programs no longer tied to the old FIRST LEGO League partnership.

The timeline: 2026 to 2031

• June 30, 2026 — LEGO Education ends sales of SPIKE Prime, SPIKE Essential and related products.
• August 4, 2026 — BIOGLOW launches as the final FIRST LEGO League season.
• 2026–2027 season — BIOGLOW Founders Edition uses SPIKE while Future Edition uses Computer Science & AI.
• August 2027 — LEGO Education launches LEGO League.
• 2027–2028 season — LEGO League includes a transition path for SPIKE and legacy hardware alongside Computer Science & AI.
• 2028–2029 season — Computer Science & AI is planned to become the required LEGO League platform.
• June 30, 2031 — planned end of active support for the SPIKE app.

What does this mean for schools, parents and teams?

We already own SPIKE. Is it still worth using?

Yes. The app has several years of promised support left, and SPIKE hardware can continue to be useful for classroom coding, robotics clubs and independent projects. It is also expected to remain eligible in the first season of LEGO League.

Do we need to buy Computer Science & AI immediately?

No. Current guidance does not require an immediate switch. BIOGLOW Founders Edition still uses SPIKE where that pathway is available, and the first LEGO League season is also expected to support older equipment. The required move to CS & AI is planned for 2028–2029.

Are FIRST LEGO League and LEGO League the same program?

No. FIRST LEGO League ends after BIOGLOW 2026–2027. LEGO League begins in 2027 as a new LEGO Education program. It will retain familiar ideas such as seasonal challenges, teamwork and organized events, but it is a separate program with a different organizational structure.

Will teams still have competitions to enter?

Yes, but from 2027 onward teams will need to pay closer attention to which program they are joining. LEGO Education is building its own event structure for LEGO League, while FIRST is developing separate programs for younger age groups.

The transition is gradual, not immediate

The phrase “FIRST LEGO League is ending” sounds abrupt, but the practical transition stretches across several years. BIOGLOW closes the history of the FIRST–LEGO Education partnership, while both organizations continue with new programs of their own.

For existing teams, the key dates are the final FLL season in 2026–2027, the launch of LEGO League in August 2027, the planned switch to Computer Science & AI as the required platform in 2028–2029, and continued SPIKE app support through mid-2031.