Humanoid Robots Ace Beijing Games: Preview of World Championship

Published Date : 29/06/2025 

While China's men's soccer team has struggled, humanoid robots are generating excitement with their fully autonomous matches powered by artificial intelligence. 

BEIJING -- While China's men's soccer team hasn't generated much excitement in recent years, humanoid robot teams have won over fans in Beijing. The enthusiasm is driven more by the advanced AI technology involved than any athletic prowess shown.

Four teams of humanoid robots faced off in fully autonomous 3-on-3 soccer matches powered entirely by artificial intelligence on Saturday night in China's capital. This event, touted as a first in China, serves as a preview for the upcoming World Humanoid Robot Games, set to take place in Beijing.

According to the organizers, a key aspect of the match was that all the participating robots operated fully autonomously using AI-driven strategies without any human intervention or supervision. Equipped with advanced visual sensors, the robots were able to identify the ball and navigate the field with agility. They were also designed to stand up on their own after falling. However, during the match, several robots still had to be carried off the field on stretchers by staff, adding to the realism of the experience.

China is stepping up efforts to develop AI-powered humanoid robots, using sports competitions like marathons, boxing, and football as a real-world proving ground. Cheng Hao, founder and CEO of Booster Robotics, the company that supplied the robot players, said sports competitions offer the ideal testing ground for humanoid robots, helping to accelerate the development of both algorithms and integrated hardware-software systems.

He also emphasized safety as a core concern in the application of humanoid robots. “In the future, we may arrange for robots to play football with humans. That means we must ensure the robots are completely safe,” Cheng said. “For example, a robot and a human could play a match where winning doesn’t matter, but real offensive and defensive interactions take place. That would help audiences build trust and understand that robots are safe.”

Booster Robotics provided the hardware for all four university teams, while each school’s research team developed and embedded their own algorithms for perception, decision-making, player formations, and passing strategies—including variables such as speed, force, and direction, according to Cheng.

In the final match, Tsinghua University’s THU Robotics defeated the China Agricultural University’s Mountain Sea team with a score of 5–3 to win the championship. Mr. Wu, a supporter of Tsinghua, celebrated their victory while also praising the competition. “They (THU) did really well,” he said. “But the Mountain Sea team (of Agricultural University) was also impressive. They brought a lot of surprises.”

China's men have made only one World Cup appearance and have already been knocked out of next year's competition in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. This highlights the contrast between the country's traditional sports teams and the innovative, AI-driven humanoid robots that are capturing the imagination of fans. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is the significance of the humanoid robot soccer match in Beijing?

A: The match is significant because it is the first fully autonomous 3-on-3 soccer match powered by artificial intelligence in China. It serves as a preview for the upcoming World Humanoid Robot Games and showcases the advanced AI technology and autonomous capabilities of the robots.

Q: How do the robots operate during the match?

A: The robots operate fully autonomously using AI-driven strategies. They are equipped with advanced visual sensors to identify the ball and navigate the field. They are also designed to stand up on their own after falling, although some still require assistance from staff.

Q: What is the role of Booster Robotics in this event?

A: Booster Robotics supplied the hardware for all four university teams participating in the match. Each university's research team developed and embedded their own algorithms for perception, decision-making, player formations, and passing strategies.

Q: Why are sports competitions important for the development of humanoid robots?

A: Sports competitions provide a real-world proving ground for humanoid robots, helping to accelerate the development of both algorithms and integrated hardware-software systems. They also emphasize the importance of safety in the application of humanoid robots.

Q: What is the future outlook for humanoid robots in sports?

A: The future outlook is promising, with plans to arrange for robots to play sports with humans. This would help build trust and demonstrate that robots can safely interact with humans in various settings. 

More Related Topics :