21 July 2026, by Heiko Fuchs

Photo: Maike Paetzel-Prüsmann

A major success for the Department of Informatics at the University of Hamburg: the student robot soccer team Hamburg Bit-Bots finished as runners-up in the Humanoid Soccer League – Small Size Division at this year's RoboCup World Championship in Incheon, South Korea. The result marks the team's best international achievement to date.

The RoboCup is an international robot soccer competition and serves as a leading benchmark for research and development in humanoid robotics. Its objective is to advance technologies for autonomous humanoid robots under realistic operating conditions.

The Hamburg Bit-Bots have been competing regularly in the RoboCup World Championship and regional tournaments since 2012. This year, 18 teams from eight countries competed in their division. After finishing fourth in the preliminary round, the team advanced through the knockout stage to reach the final. On 5 July, the Hamburg team was defeated 3–6 by the eventual champions, securing the Vice World Champion title.

Photo: Miro Grabic 

Over the course of the tournament, the Hamburg Bit-Bots scored a total of 20 goals in eight matches. The team had already been preparing on site in Incheon from June 30 to July 1 for the competitions, which took place from July 2 to 5.

The competition provides participants with an opportunity to test and further develop both hardware and software under demanding real-world conditions.

By earning the Vice World Champion title, the Hamburg Bit-Bots have reached a new milestone in the team's history and further demonstrated the international competitiveness of robotics research at the University of Hamburg.