Description
Highlights
- Teams of 2 to 4 students
- Junior division – U.S. equivalent grades 5 to 6 (ages 10-12)
- Middle division – U.S. equivalent grades 7 to 8 (ages 12-14)
- Compete from anywhere in the world
- Invasive Species is the 2026 topic
Event Flyers
Our flexible World Solutions Challenge gives students a 4-week window to analyze a specific current real world issue and use our 6-step problem-solving process to develop an action plan. All activities are asynchronous and available via our interactive, collaborative FPSOnline platform so these flexible challenges may be completed at any point during the challenge time frame.
Students may meet when and where they like, even virtually, as long as they can access the internet via at least one computer. Some teams complete everything “at once” in a single (long) session, while other teams prefer to meet for two or more sessions during the window to tackle the problem a little at a time.
Students in grades 5 to 8 (or U.S. equivalent) from all around the world compete in one of two divisions in groups of 2 to 4 students. All teams compete together, no matter the number of students working on an action plan submission. Every team needs an adult to serve as their primary contact for registration and communications with Future Problem Solving. Adults are also welcome to serve as coaches, but this is not required. The registration fee covers all instructional materials for student success and evaluation.
We provide all materials and evaluations in English and student work must be submitted in English as well.
2026 Competition Timeline
August 1 – September 15 (11:59 PM ET): Open Registration
September 23: FPSOnline Login Credentials Distributed
September 25 – October 20: Competition Window
October 23 – November 9: Action Plan Judging
November 17: Winners Announced
Visit our Resources Library to learn more and find answers to frequently asked questions.
Watch our 2025 virtual Awards Ceremony to meet recent challenge participants.
