Humanoid Robots Score Big in Beijing AI Football Tournament
- tech360.tv
- Jun 30, 2025
- 2 min read
Humanoid robots drew more cheers than China’s national football team during a fully autonomous 3-on-3 match in Beijing, showcasing the country’s growing focus on artificial intelligence and robotics.
Four university teams competed on Saturday night in what organisers called China’s first AI-powered humanoid football match, serving as a preview for the upcoming World Humanoid Robot Games.
Each robot operated without human control, using AI-driven strategies to identify the ball, navigate the field, and even stand up after falling.
Some robots were carried off the field on stretchers, adding a touch of realism to the spectacle.
The event highlighted China’s push to advance AI-powered humanoid robots through real-world sports scenarios, including marathons, boxing, and football.
Cheng Hao, founder and CEO of Booster Robotics, said sports competitions help accelerate development of algorithms and integrated systems. He also stressed the importance of safety in future human-robot interactions.
“In the future, we may arrange for robots to play football with humans,” Cheng said. “That means we must ensure the robots are completely safe.”
Booster Robotics supplied the hardware for all four teams, while university researchers developed their own algorithms for perception, decision-making, formations, and passing strategies.
In the final match, Tsinghua University’s THU Robotics defeated China Agricultural University’s Mountain Sea team 5–3 to win the championship.
A Tsinghua supporter, Mr. Wu, praised both teams, saying, “They (THU) did really well. But the Mountain Sea team (of Agricultural University) was also impressive. They brought a lot of surprises.”
China’s men’s national team, by contrast, has made only one World Cup appearance and has already been eliminated from the 2026 tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Beijing hosted China’s first fully autonomous humanoid football match
Robots used AI to play 3-on-3 games without human control
Tsinghua University won the final 5–3 against China Agricultural University
Source: AP NEWS
