The upcoming second World Humanoid Robot Games will see the number of participating robots quadrupling from last year’s inaugural event, organizers said Thursday.
The event, scheduled to take place in Beijing from Aug. 22 to Aug. 26, has attracted 666 teams and 2,056 robots from 16 countries, said Jiang Guangzhi, director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, at a media conference.
Participating robots include those from major robotics powerhouses like the United States, Germany and Japan. Brazil has also assembled a national team comprising five RoboCup squads, Jiang said.
Domestic participation includes 641 teams and 1,975 robots from 157 enterprises and 200 universities and research institutions, including China’s major robotics companies and 27 prominent Chinese universities, according to the official.
Organizers said this year’s games will feature more than 30 events, including newly added long jump, weightlifting, tug of war and table tennis, which are designed to test robots’ motion control, structural design and core components.
Scenario-based contests will also be expanded to real-world settings that include factories, hotels, homes and logistics facilities. Tasks such as assembling, housekeeping, emergency response and library book sorting will test robots’ ability to perform practical tasks in demanding environments.
Jiang said many competition rules are expected to evolve into practical technical standards, helping turn technological advances into industrial applications.
“Once robots master these ‘last-meter’ skills, they can turn medals into orders and move directly from the competition arena to real-world workplaces,” Jiang said.
The first World Humanoid Robot Games, held in August 2025, attracted 280 teams and over 500 humanoid robots from 16 countries.