Guangzhou will host the International Humanoid Robot Basketball Challenge (RBA) in early to mid-April 2027, organizers announced at a press conference on September 29. Registration is now open worldwide: enterprises, universities, research institutes and innovation teams may enter individually or as joint teams.

The challenge is divided into a competitive category and an exhibition category. The competitive category sets five events: set shooting, moving three-point shooting, human-robot passing and catching, stationary dribbling endurance, and obstacle-avoidance dribbling layup. The exhibition category sets no fixed moves or routes, leaving teams free to choreograph their own routines and formations.

Guangdong produces 40% of China’s industrial robots, 80% of its service robots and one-third of its humanoid robots. More than 2,000 humanoid robots are already working in manufacturing workshops across the province, and the number is expected to exceed 3,000 this year.

Yang Jun, deputy director of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Science and Technology, said Guangdong is willing to be the first to build an arena for testing these technologies, so that the world's top teams can compete on the same rules. Three months before the challenge, the organizing committee will set up a training venue at Guangzhou Sport University, which participating teams may book free of charge.

国际人形机器人篮球挑战赛将于明年4月在广州开赛

9月29日，广东举行新闻发布会，宣布国际人形机器人篮球挑战赛（RBA）将于2027年4月上中旬在广州举办。赛事由广东省人民政府主办，省科技厅、省教育厅、省工业和信息化厅、省体育局和广州市政府等承办，即日起面向全球开放报名，企业、高校、科研院所等可单独或联合组队参赛。

大赛设竞技赛和表演赛两个类别。竞技赛设置定点投篮、移动三分球投篮、人机协同传接球、原地运球耐力赛和运球避障上篮5个项目；表演赛不设固定动作和路线，由参赛方自行编排花式动作与队形。

办赛底气来自产业底座。广东工业机器人产量占全国40%，服务机器人产量占全国80%，人形机器人产量占全国三分之一；全省已有超2000台人形机器人进驻制造业企业车间，今年有望突破3000台。

广东省科技厅副厅长杨军表示，广东愿意率先搭建这一技术检验平台，让全球顶尖团队在同一规则下同台竞技，各显其能。组委会还拟在广州体育学院搭建训练场地，赛前三个月分批免费开放预约训练。

文｜记者 沈重光
图｜李梓骞
译｜沈重光