China Hosts World’s First Fully Autonomous 5v5 Robot Football Match

China has hosted the world’s first fully autonomous 5v5 robot football match in Beijing, showcasing the rapid advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics technology.

The event took place during the World Humanoid Robot Games, following China’s earlier 3v3 robot football debut in June under the ROBO League.

The match featured Booster T1 humanoid robots developed by Booster Robotics, with each team fielding two forwards, two defenders, and a goalkeeper. Once the game began, the robots played without human control—passing, tackling, and shooting autonomously.

Spectators watched as the AI-powered players stumbled, collided, and occasionally fell, providing both impressive and humorous moments. Engineers stepped in when robots couldn’t stand up, and at one point, two players accidentally trampled a fallen teammate, drawing laughter from the crowd.

Booster Robotics founder Cheng Hao said the robots currently have coordination similar to a five-year-old child but are improving rapidly.

“We expect them to one day challenge adult human teams,” he told Global Times.

Cheng explained that football was chosen to help students apply programming skills in real-world robotics and to demonstrate the robots’ ability to walk, balance, and make independent decisions safely.

The World Humanoid Robot Games feature over 500 robots from 280 teams across 16 countries, competing in 538 events across 26 sports, including football, athletics, and gymnastics.

With a 70-page rulebook mirroring human football but adapted for AI, the 40-minute match drew cheers from spectators and highlighted how fast humanoid robotics is evolving—from early stumbles to increasingly sophisticated play.