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Humanoid robots face tougher football challenge at World Robot Games

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.

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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.

 

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ACL: Sorkh Poshan extend perfect run with 1-0 win over Khurasan

The result keeps Sorkh Poshan firmly at the top of the Season Six standings, with the Herat-based side now having won eight consecutive matches.

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Sorkh Poshan Khafi maintained their perfect start to the Afghanistan Champions League season with a 1-0 victory over Khurasan Faryab on Sunday.

The result keeps Sorkh Poshan firmly at the top of the Season Six standings, with the Herat-based side now having won eight consecutive matches.

Sorkh Poshan entered the match as league leaders with 21 points from seven games, having scored 20 goals and conceded just one. The narrow victory further strengthens their position at the summit and continues their remarkable defensive record.

After eight matches, Sorkh Poshan have 24 points, with a goal record of 21 scored and only one conceded.

The result also extends a remarkable winning streak for a side that has emerged as one of the standout teams of the 2026 Afghanistan Champions League.

Sorkh Poshan Khafi: 8 matches, 8 wins, 0 draws, 0 defeats, 24 points, 21 goals scored, 1 conceded.

The victory leaves Sorkh Poshan in complete control at the top of the table as the Champions League season continues.

Meanwhile, Khalilahmad Ahmadi was named Player of the Match.

Final match for Sorkh Poshan

Sorkh Poshan Khafi’s final match of the current campaign will see them face Omar Zawak on Thursday.

The match will be another opportunity for the league leaders to finish their campaign on a high after an unbeaten and, so far, perfect run.

Ariana Television brings the action live

Ariana Radio and Television Network is broadcasting all Afghanistan Champions League matches live and exclusively on Ariana Television.

Fans are encouraged to follow Ariana Television and Ariana News’ social media pages for the latest updates, schedules, highlights and much more from the Afghanistan Champions League.

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ACL: Toofan Herat crush Sarsabz Yashlar 3-0 

Toofan took control of the match and eventually secured all three points with a strong attacking display.

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Toofan Herat produced a convincing 3-0 victory over Sarsabz Yashlar in the Afghanistan Champions League on Sunday, with Enayatullah Kohi scoring twice and Akpo Godwin adding the other goal.

Toofan took control of the match and eventually secured all three points with a strong attacking display.

Godwin opened the scoring for Toofan before Kohi doubled the advantage, putting his side firmly in control.

Kohi then completed his brace in the final minutes of the match, sealing a 3-0 victory for Toofan and denying Sarsabz Yashlar any chance of a late comeback.

The result moves Toofan Herat to 10 points from eight matches, with three wins, one draw and four defeats. They have scored 13 goals and conceded 10.

For Sarsabz Yashlar, the defeat is another setback after their strong start to the competition and leaves them needing points from their remaining matches to stay in contention near the top of the standings.

Meanwhile, Player of the Match was Toofan’s Kohi. 

The Afghanistan Champions League is being played in a home-and-away format this season, with 10 clubs competing across 90 matches.

Ariana Television brings the action live

Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) is broadcasting all Afghanistan Champions League matches live and exclusively on Ariana Television.

Fans are encouraged to follow Ariana Television and Ariana News’ social media pages for the latest updates, schedules, highlights and much more from the Afghanistan Champions League.

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Rashid Khan plans to build cricket academy and stadium in Nangarhar

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Afghanistan national cricket team player and Afghan Wireless Brand Ambassador Rashid Khan says he plans to establish a major cricket academy and a stadium in eastern Nangarhar province.

Rashid Khan made the remarks at a press conference held at the AWCC office in eastern Afghanistan.

He said building a well-equipped cricket ground and a large academy in Nangarhar is one of his plans and that he intends to begin the project after completing his other commitments.

“It is my dream to have a good cricket ground in my home province, Nangarhar. I have it in mind. Once I am done with my other work, I will undertake the construction of a large academy and a cricket ground in Nangarhar,” Rashid Khan said.

Rashid Khan also said his biggest dream is to help Afghanistan win the Cricket World Cup.

“My biggest dream is for us to win the World Cup for Afghanistan. It would be a great honor for us,” he said.

Meanwhile, AWCC officials in the east thanked Rashid Khan for his cooperation with the company and for choosing Afghan Wireless as his commercial partner.

Ataullah Sahel, head of AWCC in the eastern zone, said: “Rashid Khan has been the brand ambassador of Afghan Wireless for about two or two and a half years. It was the dream of Afghan Wireless leadership and employees to have national player Rashid Khan as our brand ambassador.”

The head of Nangarhar’s Telecommunications and Information Technology Department, the head of ATRA in the eastern zone and ACB officials also attended the meeting.

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