Hyundai Motor Co. on Sunday “showcased its Atlas humanoid robot” at the World Cup during the Round of 16 match between Brazil and Norway at N.Y. N.J. Stadium, according to Shin & Coppola of BLOOMBERG NEWS. Atlas, developed by Hyundai’s Boston Dynamics unit, “walked through the player tunnel and performed several goal ceremonies,” including Brazilian F Matheus Cunha’s “iconic surfing celebration” and South Korean F Son Heung-min’s “camera gesture, before handing the match ball to the referee.” The appearance marks the robot’s first live public demonstration since its production-ready version was unveiled at the CES technology show in January. Hyundai “plans to manufacture as many as 30,000 humanoids annually in the US starting in 2028.” Hyundai has sponsored the World Cup since 1999 and is “serving as FIFA’s official robotics partner for this year’s edition” (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 7/5).
NEXT STARTS NOW: ADWEEK’s Bill Bradley wrote the activation builds on Hyundai Motor’s global “Next Starts Now” campaign, where the company is “showcasing innovation and the future of soccer/football through elements such as its ‘School of Football’ content series featuring Atlas, several immersive fan experiences, youth football programs, and its fan engagement program, the ‘Be There With Hyundai’ initiative.” Hyundai also “brought its robotics to the 2026 World Cup’s security operations, utilizing its dog-inspired Spot robots to ensure security and asset protection at select venues” (ADWEEK, 7/5).
