The second World Humanoid Robot Games will be held in Beijing from Aug. 22 to 26, featuring over 30 events that showcase the latest advancements in embodied intelligence and fine manipulation capabilities, organizers announced at a press conference on Tuesday.

The squad of Humanoid robots line up during the opening ceremony of The 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo: Xinhua)

This year's competition consists of two main categories: competitive events and scenario-based contests, Science and Technology Daily reported.

The competitive category comprises 26 events in nine disciplines -- athletics, football, gymnastics, weightlifting, martial arts, street dance, sport dance, tug of war, and pitch-pot, which is a traditional Chinese precision control game derived from ancient archery rituals.

The scenario-based category includes six events set in real-world environments, namely factories, hotels, homes, emergency response sites, hospitals, and retail spaces.

Compared with the inaugural Games, this year's events have been comprehensively refined to better showcase the advancement of robotics technology and its practical applications in both industrial and everyday settings, while also making the competitions more challenging and engaging, according to the organizers.

Notably, robot football players have upgraded their skills to dribble while moving and perform diving saves, with their competitive level advancing from "preschoolers" to "youths," said Jiang Guangzhi, director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology.

Jiang said that robot athletes are expected to deliver more impressive performances to show greater autonomy, greater dexterity and greater practicality.

Humanoid robots compete in a 100m race during the opening ceremony of the 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo: Xinhua)

For the first time, the 100-meter race has been converted to a fully autonomous event. The Games have also introduced tasks requiring fine manipulation, including sorting clothes in domestic settings, firefighting in emergency situations, and food preparation in retail environments.

Furthermore, scenario-based events will no longer be held in simulated venues but in real-world settings such as factories, hotels and model homes, pushing humanoid robots from "demonstration tools" toward "practical productivity," said Jiang.

The first World Humanoid Robot Games, held in August 2025, attracted 280 teams and over 500 humanoid robots from 16 countries.