At CES earlier this year, Hyundai and Boston Dynamics introduced the world to their Atlas humanoid robot. Atlas walked out on stage at Hyundai’s keynote event and wowed the crowd so much that Mashable, along with the rest of the CNET Group, declared that Atlas was the “Best Robot” at the show.
Now, just a few months removed from the big technology event, Atlas made its big debut on perhaps the biggest stage of all: The 2026 FIFA World Cup.
As the Round of 16 match between Norway and Brazil was about to enter the second half, Atlas emerged from the player tunnel and showed off its moves on the pitch. While Atlas has previously performed dance routines, the humanoid robot had a more appropriate showing at the World Cup, mimicking player celebrations, including those of Norway’s star player, Erling Haaland.
Atlas’s Haaland celebration
Credit: Hyundai
Atlas wasn’t just there for entertainment either. Hyundai’s robot played a crucial role at the end of the half, delivering the match ball to the referee so the game could continue.
Mashable Light Speed
Mashable was at the World Cup match at New York-New Jersey Stadium to witness Atlas. The robot carried out its duties without a hitch. And, most importantly, the crowd seemed enamored by the robot. Spectators held out their smartphones, snapping photos and taking videos of Atlas doing its best player impersonations.
“As part of Hyundai’s ‘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,” said Hyundai’s Executive Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer Sungwon Jee. “At Hyundai, 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 — showing that robotics can be a trusted partner in humanity’s progress through diverse and creative brand experiences.”
Atlas hands off the match ball to the ref at the half.
Credit: Hyundai
According to Hyundai, Atlas was powered by “several core robotics capabilities that enable advanced movement and real-world interaction.” Retargeting technology allowed Atlas to analyze and adapt to human movements. Reinforcement Learning was used to train Atlas through thousands of simulations on how to move, and Whole-Body Control was deployed to coordinate movement across the robot’s body.
“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,” said Boston Dynamics Director of Robotics Behaviour Alberto Rodriguez. “It’s a great way to introduce people everywhere to the incredible potential of today’s AI-enabled robots.”
It turned out that Atlas picked a perfect celebration to imitate at halftime. At the end of the match, Norway emerged victorious, upsetting Brazil 2-1. Both of Norway’s goals were scored by Haaland. So, between Haaland and Atlas’s impersonation, fans got to see plenty of Viking-esque celebrations on the pitch this past Sunday.
