Boston Dynamics' Atlas humanoid robot made history at the World Cup, delivering the match ball during halftime of the Brazil-Norway round of 16 match in New Jersey.
The robot performed goal celebrations, including imitating Norwegian striker Erling Haaland's meditation pose, after navigating onto the pitch.
"We always looked at human skill as a way to motivate us and challenge us to push forward what robots can do," said Alberto Rodriguez, director of robot behavior at Boston Dynamics.
Hyundai Motor, the tournament sponsor, presented the robot. The company plans to deploy Atlas robots at its Georgia manufacturing plant starting in 2028 to automate high-risk tasks.
Atlas faced unique challenges at the stadium. Standard Wi-Fi was impossible due to crowd interference, requiring a special radio device. The robot also needed modified walking algorithms to handle grass surfaces.
The robot has previously demonstrated dancing and parkour capabilities.