FutBotMX 2026: Mexico’s science ministry launches robot soccer tournament

Ahead of the trinational 2026 FIFA World Cup, Mexico has announced that arsenic portion of its societal interaction programming, it volition big a peculiar soccer-focused robotics competition. 

According to Rosaura Ruiz Gutiérrez, caput of the Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Secihti), the contention aims to blend science, technology, robotics, AI and sports successful the discourse of the tourney arsenic a mode of encouraging innovation successful the lives of young radical and the wide public.

Secihti Minister Rosaura Ruiz Gutiérrez said connected Monday that determination were already 55 teams signed up for the FutBotMX Cup 2026. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)

The competition, dubbed FutBotMX Cup 2026, volition bring to decision a large technological and taste engagement programme taking spot astatine 55 venues crossed 38 acquisition and probe institutions successful Mexico. 

“In the lead-up to the [FutBotMX Cup], we volition person subject outreach events related to shot and sports successful general,” Ruiz said. Speaking astatine President Claudia Sheinbaum’s greeting property league connected Monday, the curate said the docket includes robotics, prototype and exertion exhibits; workshops; subject talks and conferences; a taste pavilion and different activities unfastened to the wide public.

The FutBotMX Cup, which volition tally from April done June 2026, invites teams of students, professionals and the wide nationalist from crossed the satellite to physique and run robot shot teams. There are 2 categories of play: 

1. Agile, utilizing an infrared (IR) ball: aimed astatine precocious schoolhouse and assemblage students betwixt the ages of 14 and 21.
2. Open, utilizing an orangish play ball: aimed astatine precocious schoolers, undergraduates, postgraduate students and professionals, arsenic good arsenic the wide public, ages 14 and up.

Ruiz said that truthful far, France, Italy and Switzerland person confirmed their participation. As of Jan. 26, determination were 55 teams signed up.

How does the contention enactment and however tin participants motion up?

The unfastened call explains that the robot players (measuring 18-22 cm, depending connected the category) indispensable beryllium capable to observe a ball, usher it and people goals successful a color-coded extremity astatine the extremity of a 2.43-meter-long shot field. 

“To play, competitors volition integrate precocious cognition of programming, robotics, electronics and mechatronics, demonstrating method creativity and teamwork,” the papers says. 

Each squad indispensable dwell of a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 quality members, who indispensable contiguous the assemblage with a method video demonstrating the robot’s cognition and explaining the plan and programming process. The video indispensable not transcend 5 minutes successful magnitude and is owed April 17.

Selected teams volition beryllium made nationalist connected May 15 and FutBotMX Cup 2026 volition instrumentality spot from June 24 to 26, 2026, astatine the Interdisciplinary Professional Unit successful Engineering and Advanced Technologies of the National Polytechnic Institute successful Mexico City, with simultaneous tourney play astatine determination venues.

Find retired much astir FutBotMX here.

Mexico News Daily