World Humanoid Robot Games draws 2,056 entries to Beijing

A record-breaking 2,056 robots from 666 teams will compete in a comprehensive range of events at the 2026 World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing from Aug 22-26, a senior official of the organizing committee said at a news conference on Thursday.

Participants from 16 countries on six continents will take part.

"The number of teams has increased by 138 percent over last year, and the number of participating robots has doubled. Brazil will even be forming a national team to join the event," said Jiang Guangzhi, deputy executive director of the organizing committee and director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology.

Domestically, 157 companies and 200 universities and research institutes will participate, forming 641 teams with 1,975 robots.

This year, newly added high-intensity competitive events, including long jump, weightlifting, tug-of-war and table tennis, "present extreme challenges to the robotic brain, cerebellum, physical structure and core components," Jiang said.

Each additional centimeter in a jump or extra kilogram lifted on the field is the result of engineers' relentless efforts to optimize design, precision machining and the rigorous testing of joint motors and reducers.

"It is through these incremental advancements that the cutting-edge technical capabilities of humanoid robots continue to reach new heights," he added.

Other events include industrial operations, hotel and family services and logistics.

Yu Qingfeng, director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports, said that in April, during the 2026 Beijing E-Town Half Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half Marathon, robots outperformed humans, adding that organizers expect even higher records during these games.

Beijing Information Science &Technology University is expected to be one of the highlights of the event, bringing the largest number of teams — 49 — which will participate in 119 categories, also the highest among all participating universities.

Li Lianpeng, deputy director of the university's academic affairs department, said its teams will compete in a wide range of events, including 100-meter sprints, 1,500-meter races, 5v5 soccer, freestyle gymnastics, street dance and tai chi, as well as industrial assembly and material handling, supermarket retail, hotel guest services, firefighting and rescue work, as well as dexterous tasks such as unboxing and building with blocks.

"These activities span virtually the entire spectrum of practical applications for humanoid robots," Li said.

Last year, the university's soccer team secured fourth place in the competition, and this year, it is expected to perform even better.

"We aim to use these games to accelerate the integration of teaching and research and even boost entrepreneurial enthusiasm among students. Our goal is not just to win but to foster greater communication and exchanges with international leaders in robot research," Li added.

The large-scale international events, including the marathon and the games, have sparked debate among some netizens over the potential waste of government investment.

Shao Yuanxin, founder of Rob-Stride Dynamics, however, argued that "these events could help the industry collect high-level data, showcase their capabilities, train more talented personnel and create job opportunities for China."

Shao also noted that his company's product exports in the first quarter of this year surpassed its total exports for the entire year of 2025.

yangcheng@chinadaily.com.cn