The second World Humanoid Robot Games will be held in Beijing from August 22 to 26, featuring a total of 32 events across two main categories: competitive sports and scenario-based tasks.
Organisers said the competition will include traditional athletics such as the 100-metre sprint and football, alongside new additions like tug-of-war, weightlifting and tai chi, highlighting both sporting ability and technological development in robotics.
Beijing Municipal Economy and Information Technology Bureau director Jiang Guangzhi said the football robots have made significant progress, now capable of performing actions such as diving saves, with performance levels improving from that of “preschool children” to “teenage-level” capability.
The event will take place at the National Speed Skating Oval, with officials noting that the inclusion of Chinese traditional sports such as tai chi and touhu (pitch-pot throwing) aims to showcase cultural elements within the competition.
Beijing Sports Bureau director Yu Qingfeng said the competitive category will feature nine major sports disciplines and 26 sub-events in total, including athletics, gymnastics, martial arts, street dance and dance sports, as well as newly introduced strength- and dexterity-based events.
He added that sports such as weightlifting, tug-of-war and pitch-pot will test the robots’ hand dexterity and strength, which are seen as key capabilities for future commercial applications of humanoid robots.
In addition to sports events, the scenario-based category will simulate real-world environments such as household services, hotel reception, emergency firefighting response, and medical pharmacy assistance, designed to test practical robotic functions.
China has been actively promoting the development of its robotics industry. At a recent humanoid robot half-marathon in Beijing’s Yizhuang area, autonomous robots reportedly completed the race with strong performances, drawing attention for their endurance and navigation capabilities.
Officials noted that compared with the inaugural edition last year, participating robots have shown significant improvements in stability and overall performance.
