Humanoid Soccer League: Call for Participation | RoboCup 2026
08 Jan 2026
RoboCup Federation invites teams from around the world to apply for participation in the RoboCup 2026 Humanoid Soccer League Competition, in Incheon, South Korea, from June 30 to July 6, 2026.
The Humanoid Soccer League (HSL) debuts at RoboCup 2026 as the result of the unification of the former Humanoid League (HL) and Standard Platform League (SPL). The league features fully autonomous humanoid robots competing in soccer matches and technical challenges, serving as a research platform for advances in humanoid robotics, including perception, locomotion, learning, behavior control, and multi-robot coordination.
Competition Divisions
Teams may participate in one or more of the following divisions, defined by robot size and weight:
Small Division: height < 110 cm, weight < 15 kg
Middle Division: height < 125 cm, weight < 25 kg
Large Division: height < 190 cm, weight < 80 kg
Each division offers two team configurations: Foundation, with a smaller number of robots, and Advanced, with a larger number of robots.
- In the Small Division, teams may compete with up to 4 robots in the Foundation configuration or up to 7 robots in the Advanced configuration.
- In the Middle Division, the maximum number of robots is 3 for Foundation and 5 for Advanced.
- In the Large Division, teams may field up to 3 robots in Foundation and up to 5 robots in Advanced.
If one team selects the Foundation configuration in a match, both teams must compete under that same configuration.
Teams may apply even if they are unable to field the maximum number of robots, and joint team proposals are encouraged.
Robot Platforms and Support
Teams may compete using either commercial humanoid platforms or custom-built robots. A selection of platforms is available through the RoboCup Humanoid Robot Program at special conditions:
For RoboCup 2026, Booster will provide a robot pool featuring K1 and T1 humanoid robots, which teams may borrow for competition use.
Application Process & Important Dates
All application materials must be submitted via:
Key Dates
- System opens: January 1, 2026
- Pre-application deadline: January 10, 2026
- Final submission deadline: January 31, 2026
- Review period: February 3–20, 2026
- Qualified teams announced: March 2, 2026
- Pre-Application Requirements (by January 10)
Qualification Materials
1. Qualification Video (max 5 minutes)
2. Team Description Paper (TDP)
3. Software Description
4. Hardware Specification (1 page per robot)
Each application will be reviewed by two members of the Technical Committee and two randomly assigned applicant teams
Participation in the review process is mandatory for qualification.
Further Information
League rules and technical details:
Community and support: