While China’s men’s soccer team hasn’t generated much excitement in recent years, humanoid robot teams have won over fans in Beijing based more on the 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 in what was touted as a first in China and 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 still had to be carried off the field on stretchers by staff, adding to the realism of the experience.
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Teams using autonomous T1 robots from Booster Robotics compete in the inaugural RoBoLeague robot soccer competition held in Beijing, Saturday, June 28, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan
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The human members of Team THU celebrate with their trophy near a T1 robot from Booster Robotics used during the inaugural RoBoLeague robot soccer competition held in Beijing, Saturday, June 28, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan
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Workers carry out a T1 robot from Booster Robotics during the inaugural RoBoLeague robot soccer competition held in Beijing, Saturday, June 28, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan
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A T1 robot from Booster Robotics demonstrates kicking a soccer ball at a fair ahead of the inaugural RoBoLeague robot soccer competition held in Beijing, Saturday, June 28, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan
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Teams prepare to compete during the inaugural RoBoLeague robot soccer competition using autonomous T1 robots from Booster Robotics in Beijing, Saturday, June 28, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan
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.
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Cheerleaders perform between matches near T1 robots from Booster Robotics at the inaugural RoBoLeague robot soccer competition held in Beijing, Saturday, June 28, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan
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Teams compete using the T1 robots from Booster Robotics during the inaugural RoBoLeague robot soccer competition held in Beijing, Saturday, June 28, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan
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Teams using autonomous T1 robots from Booster Robotics compete in the inaugural RoBoLeague robot soccer competition held in Beijing, Saturday, June 28, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan
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A child stops a shot from the T1 robot from Booster Robotics at a fair ahead of the inaugural RoBoLeague robot soccer competition held in Beijing, Saturday, June 28, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan
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Workers carry out a T1 robot from Booster Robotics during the inaugural RoBoLeague robot soccer competition held in Beijing, Saturday, June 28, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan
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Teams using autonomous T1 robots from Booster Robotics compete in the inaugural RoBoLeague robot soccer competition held in Beijing, Saturday, June 28, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan
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Girls react to the T1 robot from Booster Robotics after the inaugural RoBoLeague robot soccer competition held in Beijing, Saturday, June 28, 2025. Credit: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan
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.
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China’s humanoid robots generate more soccer excitement than their human counterparts (2025, June 29)
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