Humanoid robots are set to face a tougher football challenge at the second World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing, with larger playing fields, more teams and improved technology testing the limits of the machines.

The qualifying round began on August 11, with the matches also serving as a technical test ahead of the main event, which opens on August 22.

The games, jointly hosted by the Beijing municipal government and China Media Group, are the world’s first multi-sport competition dedicated to humanoid robots.

The inaugural event in 2025 attracted 280 teams from 16 countries, with more than 500 robots taking part.

This year’s competition features football and table tennis. In medium-sized robot football, teams have expanded from three players to five, while the pitch is almost twice the size of those used last year.

The larger field is expected to test the robots’ ability to perceive their surroundings, track their position and navigate in real time.

Under the rules, the robots must operate autonomously without direct human control. The larger playing area reduces their effective scanning range and increases the risk of positioning errors as matches become more competitive.

To compensate, some teams have programmed their robots to turn their heads more frequently to scan the field and identify reference points.

“When the robot scores a goal or performs a goal kick, an indirect or direct free kick, it will turn its head to re-search for feature points,” said Cheng Junming, a participant from Beijing Information Science and Technology University.

He said the technique provides a second form of positioning to help correct the robot’s location.

The robots have also been designed to move in increasingly human-like ways, reflecting advances in both performance and entertainment.

Teams are using reinforcement learning to train robots to control and dribble the ball, while depth cameras help them detect the ball and establish its position relative to the robot.

These developments are allowing the machines to move with greater coordination and play football in a way that more closely resembles human players, Cheng said.

Afghanistan have named Darwish Rasooli as captain of their 15-member cricket squad for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, as they prepare to give several emerging players an opportunity on the international stage.

Rasooli has led Afghanistan once before, in a T20I against Qatar, where his 66 helped the team secure a victory.

The new captain has 33 international appearances, while Karim Janat and Najibullah Zadran bring 80 and 199 caps respectively. Nangeyalia Kharote is the only other player in the squad with more than 10 international appearances.

Kharote is expected to spearhead the spin department alongside legspinner Arab Gul Momand. Farmanullah, Abdullah Ahmadzai and Faridoon Dawoodzai form the pace options, with allrounders Ismat Alam and Janat also capable of contributing with the ball.

A number of players have been rewarded for their performances in the Shpageeza Cricket League, Afghanistan’s domestic T20 competition.

Mohammad Akram, who finished as the SCL’s second-highest run-scorer in the latest season, earns a place after a consistent campaign. Khalid Taniwal has also been selected following his impressive scoring rate.

Ismat was one of the tournament’s leading performers, collecting the Player of the Tournament award after scoring 294 runs at a strike rate of 168 and taking nine wickets at an average of 16.77. He has previously played two Tests for Afghanistan.

Faisal Shinozada is included after hitting a century against India in the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup semi-final in February. Hassan Eisakhil, son of former Afghanistan star Mohammad Nabi, has also been selected.

The Asian Games cricket competition will be played in Japan from September 24 to October 3.

Afghanistan squad: Darwish Rasooli (capt), Mohammad Ishaq (wk), Mohammad Akram, Hassan Eisakhil, Khalid Taniwal, Imran Mir, Faisal Shinozada, Najibullah Zadran, Farmanullah, Ismat Alam, Karim Janat, Nangyal Kharoti, Arab Gul Momand, Faridoon Dawoodzai, Abdullah Ahmadzai.

Afghanistan’s national cricket team defeated Ireland by six wickets in the fifth and final match of the ODI series, securing victory and clinching the five-match series.

Afghanistan won the toss in the final match and elected to bowl first.

Rahmat Shah scored 143 runs off 133 balls, while Sediqullah Atal scored 98 runs off 112 balls.

Ireland set Afghanistan a target of 300 runs after scoring 299 for seven in 50 overs. Afghanistan chased down the target in 48.5 overs, losing four wickets.

Afghanistan had already won three other matches in the series, while the first match was abandoned due to rain.

For cricket fans across Afghanistan, Ariana Television Network (ATN) broadcast the five-match ODI series live.