7:13 am, July 7, 2026
Hyundai has become the first car maker to deploy a humanoid robot during a live FIFA World Cup match after using Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot in a half-time activation.
The automotive giant, which is the tournament’s Official Robotics Partner, unveiled the production version of Atlas during the Norway v Brazil Round of 16 match at New York/New Jersey Stadium.
The robot performed a series of football-inspired celebrations – including one in spired by England captain Harry Kane – before delivering the match ball to the referee.
Hyundai said the event marked the first time a humanoid robot had been integrated into a live World Cup match and also served as the first public demonstration of the production version of Atlas, which was first introduced at CES 2026.
The robot’s routine included celebrations inspired by footballers including Erling Haaland, Matheus Cunha and Son Heung-min before it carried the ceremonial match ball onto the pitch ahead of the second half.
According to Hyundai, Atlas uses retargeting technology to adapt human movements to its robotic form, reinforcement learning trained through thousands of simulations and whole-body control to produce ‘fluid, balanced movement’.
The demonstration was designed to showcase Hyundai’s investment in robotics and artificial intelligence beyond traditional vehicle manufacturing.
Sungwon Jee, executive vice president and global chief marketing officer at Hyundai Motor Company, said the appearance was intended to show that ‘the future isn’t something we imagine — it starts now’.
Alberto Rodriguez, director of robotics behaviour at Boston Dynamics, added that the techniques used to train Atlas for the football-themed performance are similar to those used to prepare the robot for industrial applications.
Hyundai acquired a controlling stake in Boston Dynamics in 2021 and has continued to expand its investment in robotics as part of its wider mobility strategy, with the company saying the World Cup demonstration is its most visible robotics showcase to date.
Its robots are famous for their life-like demonstrations on video where they run, jump and mimic humans.
Chinese car maker Chery – the firm behind Omoda and Jaecoo in the UK – unveiled an AI powered robot assistant at the Shanghai motor show last year. You can see that in action below.
