Hyundai Motor says it has integrated Boston Dynamics’ Atlas humanoid robot into the live match environment of the FIFA World Cup 2026, describing the deployment as the first time a humanoid robot has taken part in a live FIFA World Cup halftime activation.
According to Hyundai Motor, Atlas appeared during halftime of the tournament’s Round of 16 match at New York/New Jersey Stadium, where it performed a series of football-inspired goal celebrations before delivering the ceremonial match ball to the referee ahead of the second half.
In a media release, the company said the activation formed part of its role as the tournament’s Official Robotics Partner and was intended to demonstrate the robot’s ability to operate in a live sporting environment before a global audience.
Hyundai Motor said the performance also marked the first public demonstration of the production version of Atlas’ real-world movement capabilities since it was introduced at CES 2026.
Sungwon Jee, executive vice president and global chief marketing officer at Hyundai Motor Company, said the demonstration aligned with the company’s broader “Next Starts Now” campaign.
“We wanted Atlas’s performance on the world’s biggest stage to demonstrate that the future isn’t something we imagine — it starts now,” Jee said.
“We are committed to developing human-centered innovation that integrates seamlessly into everyday life, and to presenting a new vision of future mobility expanded through robotics.”
According to the company, Atlas’ movements were enabled by robotics technologies including retargeting technology, reinforcement learning and whole-body control, allowing the robot to adapt human movements into its own form while maintaining balance and coordination.
Boston Dynamics director of robotics behavior Alberto Rodriguez said the project combined entertainment with robotics development.
“Working with Hyundai Motor Group and FIFA to create such a unique moment for fans was an exciting challenge for our team,” Rodriguez said.
“The way we trained Atlas to perform these fun movements at the match is similar to how we teach the robot to take on real-world industrial applications.”
Hyundai Motor said the activation builds on its “Next Starts Now” campaign and follows the company’s “School of Football” content series, in which Atlas learned football-inspired movements using the same robotics technologies demonstrated during the World Cup appearance.
The company also announced that it will release The Training Ground, a documentary-style feature produced with BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions, showcasing the preparation behind Atlas’ World Cup activities. According to Hyundai Motor, the film will be released across its social media channels on 7 July.
Hyundai Motor said the FIFA World Cup activation reflects its broader investment in robotics, autonomous systems and human-centred innovation as it continues to explore real-world applications for advanced robotics technology.
