China inaugurated the world’s first World Humanoid Robot Games on Thursday evening at Beijing’s National Speed Skating Oval, kicking off three days of competition that run through 17 August. The Olympic-style meet, organised by the city government and robotics industry groups, features 280 teams and more than 500 robots from 16 countries. Contestants will battle in 26 events across 487 matches, ranging from traditional athletics—such as the 100-metre sprint and 1,500-metre run—to the first fully autonomous five-a-side football matches for humanoids. Other disciplines test industrial skills such as drug-sorting, materials handling and hotel reception, providing organisers with data on coordination, perception and decision-making that could translate into factory or service-sector deployments. Entries include 192 university squads and 88 corporate teams using machines from Chinese manufacturers Unitree Robotics, Fourier Intelligence and Booster Robotics. Ticket prices of 128-580 yuan (US$18-81) drew thousands of spectators who watched robots crash, stumble and occasionally right themselves—visible signs of both progress and the technology’s limits. “We come here to play and to win, but we are also interested in research,” said Max Polter of Germany’s HTWK Leipzig team, underscoring the event’s dual sporting and scientific aims. The games cap a fortnight of robotics showcases in the Chinese capital and spotlight Beijing’s ambition to lead in embodied artificial intelligence. Officials say the meet will accelerate the shift of humanoid robots from laboratories into real-world roles, part of a broader national effort to channel billions of yuan into AI and robotics as technological competition with the United States intensifies.