Robots Compete in Football Match in Beijing

On June 28, a football match between humanoid robots took place in Beijing. The team named Vulcan emerged victorious with a score of 5:3.

? The first 3-on-3 humanoid robot football match just took place in Beijing

It was the final of China’s RoBoLeague, featuring robots from top universities — including Tsinghua. The bots relied entirely on their own algorithms to decide where to run, how to dodge opponents, and… pic.twitter.com/SVBS5DmuMH

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) June 29, 2025

The robots played two halves of 10 minutes each. Their movements were controlled by built-in algorithms. Each mechanical player used cameras and sensors to detect the ball, field, and opponents, making real-time decisions without human intervention.

The humanoids were dressed in black and purple jerseys. Their movements were clumsy, sometimes leading to falls.

The bots raised their fists after each goal. Scoring was not difficult — the goalkeepers struggled with their duties.

China is heavily investing in robotics development. According to Morgan Stanley, this market is valued at $47 billion — 40% of the global total. It is projected to grow by 23% annually, reaching $108 billion by 2028.

“China is not only the largest market but also possibly the global hub of innovation, enhancing cost efficiency and developing the next generation of robotics,” bank analysts believe.

The mechanical footballers used deep reinforcement learning techniques to make real-time decisions about passing, dribbling, shooting, or predicting a teammate’s actions.

Saturday’s game served as a preview for the World Humanoid Robot Games, which China plans to host from August 15-17 in Beijing. The event will include 11 sports competitions, including gymnastics, athletics, and football.

In June, 432 robotic legs relocated a complex of historic buildings weighing 7,500 tons to its original site.

In April, 21 humanoid robots participated in the Beijing half marathon.