Atlas, an advanced humanoid robot, is making a strong appearance at the FIFA World Cup
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With Norway and Brazil set to play again in the second half at the New York/New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, a special guest gave the referee the ball on the pitch.
The Hyundai Motor Company-developed Atlas, an advanced humanoid robot developed by Boston Dynamics, entered the Round of 16 game. Hyundai Motor, the official robotics partner of the World Cup, unveiled the world’s first robotics-powered halftime show to a global audience.
As a sold-out crowd in New Jersey, and millions watching at home, watched, Atlas made a turn near the tunnel as he caught the game ball. After that, he bowed slightly before handing it to the referee to resume play.
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Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, an advanced humanoid robot, is playing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday, July 5, 2026. (Hyundai Motor Group)
It was an important moment for Hyundai Motor Group as it underscored the company’s growing leadership in robotics and its commitment to advancing human-centered innovation through information that connects technology and people in meaningful ways.
And what better place to do that than the World Cup.
This operation brought advanced robotics to the world’s largest competition, marking the first public demonstration of Atlas’ real-world mobility capabilities. Atlas was first unveiled at CES 2026, but those who couldn’t catch it there got to see what it can do in real time on Sunday.
Also, this was the first ever integration of a humanoid robot into a live World Cup match.
“As part of Hyundai’s ‘Next Starts Now’ campaign, we wanted the Atlas to perform on the world’s biggest stage to show that the future is not something we imagine – it starts now,” said Sungwon Jee, vice president and chief global marketing officer of Hyundai Motor Company, in a statement.
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“At Hyundai, we are committed to developing human-centered intelligence that integrates seamlessly into everyday life, and to present a new vision of future mobility augmented by robots – showing that robots can be a reliable partner in human progress through the use of diverse and creative product knowledge.”
As Jee said, Hyundai Motor’s global “Next Starts Now” campaign connects communities through football, while inspiring the next generation of players, fans and innovators. The Atlas assembly on Sunday showed how conceptual displays can turn into a real-life moment.
Boston Dynamics’ Atlas delivers the match ball to the referee at the FIFA World Cup in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday, July 5, 2026. (Hyundai Motor Group)
Boston Dynamics has been working hard to get Atlas ready for the big moment in the New York/New Jersey arena. Atlas functionality is powered by several core robotics capabilities to enable advanced movement and real-world interactions, including regenerative technologies, reinforcement learning and whole-body control.
The feedback technology allows Atlas to interpret and adapt to human movements, including the soccer-inspired celebration and gestures seen in its rotation around the tunnel. Then, reinforcement learning uses thousands of simulations to train and refine the movements before Atlas is used.
Finally, the control of the whole body coordinates the movements of the whole body of the Atlas, making fluid, balanced and flexible movements – all this is shown during relaxation.
| A ticker | Security | Finally | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HYMLF | Company HYUNDAI MOTOR CO. | 89 | -31.00 |
-25.83% |
“At Boston Dynamics, we’ve been drawing inspiration from human sports activities like gymnastics, dance, parkour and now soccer to push the boundaries of what robots can do in a more human way,” Alberto Rodriguez, director of robotics behavior at Boston Dynamics, said in a statement. “Working with Hyundai Motor Group and FIFA to create a unique experience for fans was an exciting challenge for our team. The way we trained Atlas to make these exciting in-game moves is similar to how we train a robot to take on real-world industrial applications.
Hyundai Motor Group unveiled Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, an advanced humanoid robot, at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday. (Hyundai Motor Group)
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“It’s a great way to introduce people everywhere to the incredible power of today’s AI-powered robots.”
While the launch of the World Cup games represents Hyundai Motor’s most visible sign of its robotic ambitions, the company continues to invest in robotics, autonomous systems and human-centered innovation as it remains focused on how these technologies can create meaningful experiences and help build a more connected future for all.
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