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Atlas, an advanced humanoid robot, makes strong FIFA World Cup appearance

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Atlas, an advanced humanoid robot, makes strong FIFA World Cup appearance

As Norway and Brazil were set to get back to play in the second half at New York/New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, a special guest delivered the match ball to the head referee on the pitch. 

Hyundai Motor Company integrated Atlas, an advanced humanoid robot developed by Boston Dynamics, into the Round of 16 match. Hyundai Motor, the official robotics partner of the World Cup, delivered the first-ever robotics-powered halftime activation to a live global audience. 

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As the sold-out crowd in New Jersey, and the millions watching from home, looked on, Atlas did a twirl near the tunnel while holding the match ball. Then, he gave a slight bow before handing it to the referee to begin play once more. 

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Atlas performs at the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, an advanced humanoid robot, performs at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday, July 5, 2026.  (Hyundai Motor Group / Fox News)

It was a key moment for Hyundai Motor Group as it underscored the company’s growing leadership in robotics as well as its commitment to advancing human-centered innovation through experiences that connect technology with people in meaningful ways. 

And what better place to do that than the World Cup

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This activation brought advanced robotics to the world’s biggest tournament, marking the first public demonstration of Atlas’ real-world movement capabilities. Atlas was first introduced at CES 2026, but those who couldn’t catch it there saw what it was capable of in real time on Sunday. 

Also, this was the first-ever integration of a humanoid robot into a World Cup live match environment. 

“As part of Hyundai’s ‘Next Starts Now’ campaign, we wanted Atlas’s performance on the world’s biggest stage to demonstrate that the future isn’t something we imagine – it starts now,” Sungwon Jee, executive vice president and global chief marketing officer at Hyundai Motor Company, said in a statement. 

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“At Hyundai, we are committed to developing human-centered innovation that integrates seamlessly into everyday life, and to presenting a new vision of future mobility expanded through robotics – showing that robotics can be a trusted partner in humanity’s progress through diverse and creative brand experiences.”

As Lee mentioned, Hyundai Motor’s global “Next Starts Now” campaign connects communities through football, while also inspiring the next generation of players, fans and innovators. The integration of Atlas on Sunday showed how conceptual demonstrations can turn into a real-life moment. 

Atlas delivers match ball to referee

Boston Dynamics’ Atlas delivers the match ball to a referee at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday, July 5, 2026.  (Hyundai Motor Group / Fox News)

Boston Dynamics worked hard to get Atlas right for the big moment at New York/New Jersey stadium. Atlas’s performance was powered by several core robotics capabilities to enable advanced movement and real-world interaction, including retargeting technology, reinforcement learning and whole-body control. 

The retargeting technology allows Atlas to translate and adapt human movements, which included the football-inspired celebration and gesture it featured on its spin near the tunnel. Then, reinforcement learning uses thousands of simulations to train and refine movements before Atlas is deployed. 

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Finally, whole-body control coordinates movement across Atlas’ entire body, enabling fluid, balanced and dynamic motion – all of which were on display at halftime. 

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“At Boston Dynamics, we have always taken inspiration from human athletic feats like gymnastics, dancing, parkour and now football to push forward the frontier of what robots can do in a way that connects with people,” Alberto Rodriguez, director of Robotics behavior at Boston Dynamics, said in a statement. “Working with Hyundai Motor Group and FIFA to create such a unique moment for fans was an exciting challenge for our team. The way we trained Atlas to perform these fun movements at the match is similar to how we teach the robot to take on real-world industrial applications. 

Atlas robot at World Cup

Hyundai Motor Group introduced Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, an advanced humanoid robot, at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday.  (Hyundai Motor Group / Fox News)

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“It’s a great way to introduce people everywhere to the incredible potential of today’s AI-enabled robots.”

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While the World Cup activation represents Hyundai Motor’s most visible demonstration of its robotics ambitions, the company continues to invest in robotics, autonomous systems and human-centered innovation as it remains focused on how these technologies can create meaningful experiences and help shape a more connected future for all. 

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Thailand’s 2027 Action Plan Targets High-Value Tourism Growth

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Thailand's 2027 Action Plan Targets High-Value Tourism Growth

Thailand’s Tourism Minister introduced the 2027 Action Plan, emphasizing high-value tourism growth through innovation, data integration, and targeting premium markets, while promoting sustainability and year-round travel.


Key Points

  • Overview of the Action Plan: Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul launched the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Action Plan 2027 in Bangkok on July 13, 2026, focusing on positioning Thailand as a high-value tourism destination. Key officials, including Permanent Secretary Natthriya Thaweevong and TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool, highlighted strategic marketing policies and tourism’s role in the economy.
  • Strategic Guidelines: The action plan emphasizes four strategic guidelines: elevating Thailand as a high-value destination, enhancing competitiveness through market balance, advancing the industry via data and innovation, and developing a high-performance organization. Integration of data, technology, and AI is crucial for sustainable travel experiences.
  • Focus on Transformation: The TAT identified 2027 as “The Year of Transformation,” shifting its focus from tourist volume to high-value travelers through targeted demographics, promoting secondary cities, and developing sustainable tourism. An upcoming Market Briefing on July 21, 2026, will connect local operators with global market opportunities, with detailed marketing directions to be announced in August 2026.

Tourism Minister Outlines 2027 Action Plan to Position Thailand as a High-Value Destination

Minister of Tourism and Sports Surasak Phancharoenworakul opened the Tourism Authority of Thailand Action Plan 2027 meeting in Bangkok on July 13, 2026. He was joined by Permanent Secretary and Board Chairwoman Natthriya Thaweevong and TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool to present strategic marketing policies to position Thailand as a high-value regional destination.

​The minister emphasized tourism’s role as a primary economic driver and outlined four guidelines for quality, balanced, and sustainable growth: elevating Thailand as a high-value destination, increasing competitiveness through market balance, advancing the industry with data and innovation, and building a high-performance organization. Permanent Secretary Natthriya supported this vision, highlighting the importance of integrating data, technology, and artificial intelligence in planning to strengthen national competitiveness and provide sustainable travel experiences.

​The TAT Governor announced 2027 as “The Year of Transformation” for the agency. The strategy shifts focus from tourist volume to high value through four pillars: targeting high-value demographic segments, promoting year-round travel and secondary cities with experience-based marketing, developing new growth engines such as creative culture and sustainable tourism, and transforming the agency into an agile, data-driven organization.

​After internal planning, the TAT will host a Market Briefing and Tourism Clinic at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center on July 21, 2026. This event will enable local operators to connect with overseas directors, build networks, and explore global market opportunities. The official 2027 tourism marketing direction will be announced to industry partners and the public in August 2026.

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Source : Tourism Minister Outlines 2027 Action Plan to Position Thailand as a High-Value Destination

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