This five-a-side (5v5) humanoid robot soccer match was part of the 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games. This inaugural comprehensive humanoid robot games took place from August 14 to 17 at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, an iconic former Olympic Winter Games venue known as Ice Ribbon.
The robot games attracted 280 teams from 16 countries, competing across 26 events.
“Registration for the games far exceeded the organizing committee’s expectations,” Zhao Dongwei, Chairman of Beiao Group and marketing director of the games’ organizing committee, said. “We initially anticipated 100 participating teams but ended up hosting 280. The competing robots represented 127 different brands, with more than 500 robots taking part in the games.”
He added that 2025 can be considered a breakthrough year for humanoid robot sports: from the first humanoid robot marathon in Beijing early in the year, to the subsequent humanoid robot fighting competition organized by Unitree Robotics, and now this first-of-its-kind international comprehensive event in Beijing. “This series of innovative activities signals that competitive robot sports are entering a phase of rapid development,” he said.
Kickoff of a new era
Zhao explained that this humanoid robot games serves several key missions: first, to assess the current development level of humanoid robots, including their capabilities in running, movement, jumping and other functions; second, to establish a competitive platform for domestic and international exchange and cooperation, thereby promoting global collaboration and interaction in technology; third, to drive progress across the entire robotics industry.
The 5v5 robot soccer match is a departure from previous soccer competitions such as the RoboCup which typically employed a 3v3 format. Since soccer robots must operate with fully autonomous AI without any human intervention, increasing the number of robots significantly raises the difficulty of autonomous decision-making and teamwork. The 5v5 format requires them to compete in real-time without any external control—a substantial technical challenge.
Autonomous standing up after falling was once a core challenge in robot soccer matches. Now, this technical hurdle has largely been overcome—most fallen robot players on the field can quickly get back on their feet.
To ensure fairness, the robots used in the 5v5 soccer matches were uniform and all provided by the competition organizers. Zhao pointed out, “In past events, some teams had strong programming skills but were limited by inferior hardware. The robots used this time were developed by Beijing-based Booster Robotics and particularly well-suited for soccer matches.”
The robots feature black heads and limbs with a silver torso. Using cameras in their heads to capture real-time field dynamics, they moved with steady but heavy footsteps and were capable of dribbling, passing and adjusting shooting angles.
The matches operated solely based on AI strategy, with no remote human control or human safety intervention. Since both sides used identical robot hardware, the outcome depended entirely on the quality of their algorithmic designs. The successful execution of team soccer marks a breakthrough, propelling humanoid robot competition into a new era of “multi-machine coordination and collective intelligence.”
In the 5v5 soccer final, the robot players from Tsinghua University’s Hephaestus team defeated the German team 1-0, claiming the championship.
Fully autonomous matches
The technological breakthroughs in robotics are not limited to the soccer field. In the 100-meter final, the Tien Kung Ultra robot, developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center (BHRIC), utilized fully autonomous navigation technology to secure the championship, without relying on any external remote control.
Tien Kung Ultra had previously taken first place in a robot half-marathon held in Beijing this April. According to Xiong Youjun, CEO of the BHRIC, the Tien Kung Ultra featured in this competition showcased another major technological upgrade following its marathon victory, that is, real-time environmental perception and autonomous motion planning in complex and dynamic environments. This marks a revolutionary new phase in the development of robotic “brain” technology.
“In the evolution of embodied intelligence, ‘throwing away the remote control’ is not merely a simplification of functions—it is a critical leap toward robots truly possessing an autonomous ‘brain’,” Xiong told The Beijing News. He explained that remote operation essentially allows robots to temporarily rely on human intelligence, with operators performing tasks such as environmental perception, path planning and dynamic balance control for them. “During the race, despite interference from multiple robots running in the same direction and the challenges of high-curvature tracks, the Tien Kung Ultra consistently stayed within its designated lane. This precise environmental recognition, dynamic control and autonomous decision-making ability lays a solid foundation for future robots to perform autonomous operations across varied terrains and scenarios.”
Unitree Robotics was also a top contender in this year’s events, winning championships in the 400-meter and 1,500-meter races, 100-meter obstacle race and the 4×100-meter relay. Additionally, all robots participating in the freestyle combat event were developed by Unitree Robotics.
“The robotics industry is thriving. Most companies performed very well in the first half of the year, and with competitions like the World Humanoid Robot Games held in the second half of the year, the industry is expected to develop even more effectively,” Wang Xingxing, founder of Unitree Robotics, said. He emphasized that the Games play a positive role in promoting the humanoid robot industry as a whole.
In addition to track and field events, this year’s competition also included several applied scenario-based events, requiring robots to complete specific tasks in real-world settings such as hospitals, hotels and factories. Wang called for greater public attention to these practical competitions, stressing that the ultimate goal of developing humanoid robots is to provide more efficient and convenient services for humanity.
A dance of data and dynamos
In addition to competitive events, this year’s games also featured demonstration and scenario-based competitions. The demonstration segment included dance and martial arts, while the scenario-based contests covered tasks such as material handling, sorting and organizing, and cleaning services.
In the material sorting challenge, robots were required to precisely insert 27 slender items with a tip diameter of just 8 mm into corresponding holes in a storage box—a task demanding extremely high precision in grasping, system stability and operational accuracy. The robot developed by BHRIC won first place in this event. Leveraging a highly flexible robotic arm and embodied intelligence capabilities, the robot autonomously completed the fine assembly task at a pace meeting industrial operational tempo, demonstrating strong potential for real-world application.
The martial arts competition offered 20 predefined moves for participating companies to choose from, while also allowing them to submit their own customized moves. Zhang Jidong, technical representative for the martial arts event, noted that several companies’ robots already displayed remarkably lifelike movements, with some even capable of performing backflips. “In another three to five years, their limb coordination will improve significantly, and aerial maneuvers will no longer be a challenge,” he predicted. In his view, robots will eventually be capable of performing complete sets of movements covering all major martial arts disciplines.
The group dance demonstration was won by Soul of the Terracotta Warriors, a collaborative performance between Beijing Dance Academy and Optics Valley Dongzhi Embodied Intelligence Technology Co. Ltd. from Hubei Province. Blending traditional Chinese dance with robotic technology, nine full-sized humanoid robots danced alongside human performers, vividly conveying the historical essence of the terracotta warriors.
“Today’s performance perfectly showcased the results of three months of meticulous design and preparation,” Gao Qian, Deputy Director of the Academic Affairs Office at Beijing Dance Academy, told Beijing Daily. He described it as a milestone breakthrough. Although the piece lasted only 2 minutes and 16 seconds, Gao emphasized that every second was supported by immense amounts of data and code, reflecting the dedication and effort of both choreographers and engineers. “Future performances combining robot dancers and human artists will surpass what we can currently see or even imagine,” he said.
At the closing ceremony on August 17, the World Humanoid Robot Sports Federation was officially inaugurated. The organizing committee announced that the second World Humanoid Robot Games will be held in Beijing in August 2026.–The Daily Mail-Beijing Review news exchange item
