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Newsletter #1 - New RoboCup Soccer League
by Caron, Benjamin 06 Oct '25

06 Oct '25

Introducing the New RoboCup Soccer League (Official name to be announced) RoboCup 2026 will mark the beginning of a new chapter in humanoid robot soccer. The Standard Platform League (SPL) and the Humanoid League (HL) are merging into a single unified league. This brings together years of expertise, innovation, and competition under one framework. Why merge? * Shared goals: Both leagues focus on humanoid soccer, but from different angles. * Unified platform: A single set of design and gameplay rules will allow for a more direct comparison of approaches. * Future growth: A larger, more diverse league will drive faster progress in humanoid robotics. Minimum Robot Rules The Technical Committees (TC) of both the former SPL and HL are currently working on the detailed rules for the new league. For now, here are some important updates: 1. Robot eligibility for RoboCup 2026 * Both commercially available and self-built robots will be allowed, as well as mixtures * All robots that competed at RoboCup 2025 in either the SPL or HL will be eligible. * All robots listed on robotprogram.robocup.org<https://robotprogram.robocup.org/> are also accepted. 2. Minimum requirement for all competing robots * Robots participating in the league must have a human-like body shape with a torso, head, two arms, and two legs, as well as human-like symmetry and proportions regarding sizes of the body parts and weight distribution (Definition of humanoid robot from Kajima et al, 2005). * Locomotion: Robots must walk bipedally, run, or jump. They must stand upright on their feet and recover from falls. * Body Mass Index (BMI): 5 ≤ BMI ≤ 30. * Leg length: Must follow human-like proportions: 0.35 · Htop ≤ Hleg ≤ 0.7 · Htop (Htop = total robot height). * Arm span: Inspired by da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man for human-like proportions: 0.8 · Htop ≤ Aspan ≤ 1.2 · Htop. * Arm functionality: Arm length and placement must support human-like behaviors (e.g., standing up after a fall, picking up or throwing a ball). * Not allowed: non-human-like support (e.g., using arms to assist walking). * Arms must not reach below the knees when standing upright. * Head height: Must follow proportional constraints: 0.1 · Htop ≤ Hhead ≤ 0.3 · Htop. * Sensor * Allowed sensors Robots may include any of the following: * Vision: RGB camera (opening angle < 180°), stereo camera, event camera * Audio: Microphone array * Inertial: Gyroscope, accelerometer, IMU (without compass) * Force and touch: Force sensors, touch sensors, buttons/bumpers, other haptic sensors * Intrinsic: Temperature, current, joint positions, and other internal measurements * Not allowed sensors The following are prohibited to ensure equal conditions for all robots: * Omnidirectional (360°) camera * Independent compass * LIDAR (2D/3D) * Ultra-Wideband (UWB) distance measurement * Bluetooth-based localization * Unmentioned sensors are still subject to evaluation 1. Eligible standard robot platforms (non-exhaustive): * Nao V5, Nao V6 * Darwin (model) * Booster T1, K1 * Fourier GR1, GR1-Pro, GR2 * Unitree G1, H1 Envisioned Timeline The TC will share more details in the coming months on: * Divisions - mid October * More information on mechanical and electrical components - mid October * Game rules - early November * Safety - mid November RoboCup 2026 participation survey The Technical Committee would like to gather information on teams’ intentions to participate in the new Soccer League. Please fill out the following form here<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1GHyBmgWAwPkWkOcLqCsbFu5WN578o2ckU8ihO4k0sn…>. Stay tuned for updates as we build this exciting new chapter in RoboCup soccer! The Technical Committee of the new RoboCup Soccer League

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RoboCup: Participate in Our League Name Survey!
by Sam Griffiths 05 Oct '25

05 Oct '25

Dear RoboCup Teams, We hope this message finds you well. As we prepare for an exciting change in 2026, RoboCup is merging the Standard Platform League (SPL) and the Humanoid League (HL) into a unified league. About the New League; To help inform your choice of league name, here are the key characteristics of the merged league: * The league will focus on the game of soccer * It will be for humanoid-like robots only * This will be RoboCup's single Major League for humanoid robots playing soccer (consolidating what were previously two separate Major Leagues) * The league may include multiple divisions to group robots by weight, size, and abilities, ensuring fair and competitive matches across different robot capabilities To ensure this new league reflects the spirit and vision of our community, we are inviting you to participate in our RoboCup League Name Survey. Your team's input on potential names for this merged league will help guide the Trustees' decision-making process. Please take a moment to fill out the survey and share your valuable insights. Teams are encouraged to submit one response per team, however, multiple responses are allowed. Survey Link<https://forms.gle/u6Ei4FfGMZgUxqb67> Plain text: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf8bTIpMEPeflgX65ysjusxUKwSANrWmJD… Thank you for your participation and support. Sam Griffiths, On Behalf of the 2026 SPL+HL Technical Committee

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Naova code release 2025
by Club Naova 18 Sep '25

18 Sep '25

Hello everyone, I wanted to inform you that our code release for the shared autonomy challenge can be found at the following link: https://github.com/Naova/NaovaRelease [https://opengraph.githubassets.com/1d8d0509ee4432f32ef80ef55f20f3dfcf43da4d…]<https://github.com/Naova/NaovaRelease> GitHub - Naova/NaovaRelease<https://github.com/Naova/NaovaRelease> Contribute to Naova/NaovaRelease development by creating an account on GitHub. github.com Kind regards, [cid:fa198970-7cb7-47fd-b567-549a221d0021] Christine Yang-Dai | Étudiante en génie logiciel Co-Capitaine du club scientifique Naova École de technologie supérieure | 1100, rue Notre-Dame Ouest Montréal (Qc) Canada | H3C1K3 Tél. : 438-926-5898 | Instagram<https://www.instagram.com/clubnaova/> | Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/naorobotique/> | Site Web<https://www.clubnaova.ca/>

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CodeRelease 2025 - HULKs
by HULKs TUHH 18 Sep '25

18 Sep '25

Dear SPL Community, Thank you all for an amazing RoboCup 2025 in Brazil! As you know, our software is developed fully open source and remains accessible to everyone at all times. The state of our codebase used during the competition is available here: https://github.com/HULKs/hulk/releases/tag/robocup2025 We believe that open sourcing codebases strengthens collaboration and enables everyone to benefit from shared knowledge and innovation. We encourage other teams to consider releasing their code as well. Best regards Team HULKs

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RC Soccer SPL Call for TC/OC Nominations
by Timothy Wiley 16 Jul '25

16 Jul '25

Dear SPL Teams, TL;DR This is a call for nominations to the SPL organising committee (OC) and technical committee (TC). Without the work that these committees do, RoboCup SPL would not be possible. Both committees generally require 4-5 members each. We ask that all teams nominate candidates for the committees. This year, we are particularly focused on strong representation from as many active teams as possible to help drive the new direction of our league. Please email your nominations to the Execs by Thursday 17 July, 5.00pm (Brazil - Brasilia Standard Time) as indicated below. What does being a committee member entail? The two committees (OC and TC) each have a different focus, although they work closely at times. The TC is responsible for writing the rules and technical challenges of the SPL and implementing the league's longer-term roadmap year by year. The TC also manages the call for participation and qualification decisions. The time commitment varies depending on the time of year, but the TC usually meets at least once a month and the responsibilities are divided between the committee members. This year will require flexibility and major rule changes as we move to a new platform. The OC helps implement directives from the TC and is responsible for organizational aspects of the league and the RoboCup event. The OC interacts with the Local Organising Committee for the RoboCup event itself to ensure that the physical environment, network, etc. matches the league's needs. The OC also helps organise the running of the SPL at the event, including the game schedule, referee allocation, the collation of results, etc. Like the TC, the time commitment varies, but OC usually meets at least once a month after the call for participation has gone out. The OC is an ideal committee for newer members of our league, who will be participating last year. Nominees to both committees are voted for by the teams but must be approved by the trustees. (The trustees can also appoint members.) The trustees have specifically asked for diversified representation from different geographical regions and teams at different levels of the competition, in addition to other kinds of diversity. You don't have to be an experienced RoboCupper or from an experienced team to join the committees. All we ask is that you have a reasonable expectation of attending the next RoboCup event and will commit to the role for at least the year leading up to that event. (If you might be able to participate for a couple of years, that is even better). By participating you get a chance to reshape the future of our league, develop long-lasting relationships, to help the league operate and improve, to add to your resume, and to genuinely make a difference. Nomination and election process Any member of any team may be nominated. You can nominate yourself, or another person (but ask them first to make sure they are interested in being nominated). To make a nomination, simply email all the execs ( jphanna(a)cs.wisc.edu<mailto:jphanna@cs.wisc.edu>, robocup(a)stefan.seeri.ng<mailto:robocup@stefan.seeri.ng>, and timothy.wiley(a)rmit.edu.au<mailto:timothy.wiley@rmit.edu.au> ) with the following information by Thursday 17 July, 5.00pm (Brazil - Brasilia Standard Time) : Committee (TC or OC)? Nominee’s name: Nominee’s team: Nominee’s email: After nominations have been finalized, the list will be circulated and each team may vote for three preferred nominees for each committee. More instructions will be given when the election opens. We look forward to receiving your nominations. Best regards, Josiah, Stefan, and Timothy (SPL execs)

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Nao Clinic Updates
by Timothy Wiley 11 Jul '25

11 Jul '25

Hello teams, This is an update on our Nao Clinic for this year, based on the most recent information that we have: * This year we will have a small team of volunteers who will be available to repair Nao’s. This means the number of Nao’s that can be repaired will be reduced, and we kindly ask teams not to expect extensive repairs or quick turn-arounds. * Repairs will be largely be for hardware (gears and motors). Replacement circuit boards, sensors are limited. Replacement cameras are not available. * We are expecting to be able to run re-calibration software for replacement joints/motors, but teams may need to assist the clinic team in conducting re-calibration. * If able, we encourage teams to bring older robots as 'donors' that are otherwise not working as a source for additional parts (especially for the more limited replacement parts, i.e., sensors, cameras, etc). * Repairs are free (including out-of-warranty). However, we request that teams bring robots primarily for competition use, and not a general repair backlog, as parts are limited. Regards, Timothy Dr. Timothy Wiley | Lecturer, School of Computing Technologies | RMIT University Building 14, Level 11 (City Campus) | Homepage<https://timothy-wiley.github.io> | RAIsE Hub | AI Innovation Lab<http://rmit.edu.au/ailab> Executive Committee | RoboCup Soccer Standard Platform League (SPL) SPL Website<https://spl.robocup.org> | RoboCup Federation<https://www.robocup.org>

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SPL GameController for RoboCup 2025
by Arne Hasselbring 08 Jul '25

08 Jul '25

Hi, I’m sure many of you have already regularly used the development versions of the GameController from the Git repository, but there is now a (likely) final version available at: https://github.com/RoboCup-SPL/GameController3/releases/tag/v5.0.0-rc.3 I recommend reading the release notes, and especially testing the most passes leaderboard mode if you’re participating in that. It handles counting the points (1 click = 1 point, i.e. a „successful pass“ requires two clicks) and calculates the score including the time bonus at the end. For those of you stuck with Ubuntu 20.04 and similarly ancient Linux systems, there is the tauri1 branch which is functionally equivalent but doesn’t require libwebkit2gtk-4.1. I couldn't test it though, good luck! A binary release of the TCM/GameStateVisualizer and other associated tools is also available at: https://github.com/RoboCup-SPL/GameController/releases/tag/RoboCup2025 This is also a good time for a final check that the colors in https://github.com/RoboCup-SPL/GameController3/blob/master/config/teams.yaml are correct for your team. Bug reports, fixes, questions as usual either as GitHub issues or by email to arha(a)uni-bremen.de I wish everyone a safe trip to Salvador an exciting and successful RoboCup! - Arne

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HULKs Code Usage Announcement
by Alexander Schmidt 06 Jul '25

06 Jul '25

Hello all, We are writing to announce the code usage of Team HULKs for this years RoboCup. We are using bhuman/CompiledNN <https://github.com/bhuman/CompiledNN> for the inference of our ball detection networks. Furthermore, the core concept of our walking engine is inspired by rUNSWift's walking engine. Additionally, we might use the joint angle prediction network from B-Human's 2024 Code Release <https://github.com/bhuman/BHumanCodeRelease>. We would like to thank Team BHuman and Team rUNSWift for their continued contributions to the league. Our codebase, development activity, and discussions are, as usual, fully open source and available under hulks/hulk <https://github.com/HULKs/hulk>. Team HULKs

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🤖 RoboCup SPL 2025 – Newsletter #5
by Caron, Benjamin 30 Jun '25

30 Jun '25

Dear SPL Teams, The RoboCup is just a few days away. In this newsletter, we present the last information you need before the competition. ________________________________ 📘 Final Competition Rules Released The final version of the RoboCup SPL 2025 Rules has now been published. All participating teams are expected to comply with these rules throughout the competition. Please review them carefully and ensure your code and robots are aligned with the latest updates. 📄 <https://spl.robocup.org/downloads/#2025> Rules are available here<https://spl.robocup.org/downloads/#2025> Here is the list of changes that got updated after the prior newsletter: * There are no changes to the main competition. However, in this newsletter, you will find a section that overwrites the rules to accommodate a limited Nao Clinic and to integrate both Challenge Shield and Champion Cup into the same tournament. * Both the KICKin-Rollin Challenge and Leaderboard Challenge received minor updates. These are mostly clarifications, but if you expect to participate, please review them. * Finally, a section has been added to define an overall ranking between the KICKin-Rollin Challenge and Open Research Challenge. ________________________________ 🛠️ Limited Nao Clinic – Temporary Adjustments As announced in the previous newsletter, there will not be a full Nao Clinic as known in past years. However, we can now confirm the presence of a limited Nao Clinic. Repairs will be limited in manpower, spare parts, and diagnostic software. While every effort will be made to support teams, the following measures are in place to minimize robot damage: * All matches until the knockout round will be played with 5 vs. 5 robots. Champions Cup rules still apply for Champions Cup matches. If both teams agree, they can play 7 vs. 7. We expect the knockout round, or at least the final bracket, to be played in 7 vs. 7 for Champions Cup teams. * The pickup rule is loosened. A team may now request a pickup at any time to prevent damage. The head referee can still decline the request if it interferes with play and does not qualify under the regular rule. This flexibility aims to reduce damage, but the rule may be revised if abused. * Assistant referees may catch robots if this does not distract from their primary duties. * Although pushing rules have not changed, everyone, especially head referees, are encouraged to refresh their understanding, as many falls are caused by contact. ________________________________ 🎮 Match Format: Challenge Shield vs. Champions Cup RoboCup 2025 will follow a hybrid match format. When at least one Challenge Shield team is present, Challenge Shield rules apply. Otherwise, Champions Cup rules apply. Key differences for Challenge Shield include: * Team executing a Set Play is sent via the GameController. * The referee must wear red gloves. * All matches are played 5 vs. 5. ________________________________ 🧪 Open Research Challenge – Reminder Teams must submit a brief description of their planned contribution by July 1, 2025 to the Technical Committee (rc-spl-tc(a)lists.robocup.org). Multiple contributions per team are allowed. Each submission should include: * Objective: What the innovation is and why it's relevant. * Expected Impact: How it benefits SPL or improves existing systems. * Implementation Feasibility: Required resources and timeline. After the deadline, participation may still be allowed if the schedule permits. Slots will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. You should still submit your interest even after the deadline. ________________________________ 📊 Leaderboard Challenge – Reminder Teams should also send their intention to participate in one or more Leaderboard Challenges by July 1, 2025 to the Technical Committee (rc-spl-tc(a)lists.robocup.org). Please include the specific challenges you're targeting. As with the Open Research Challenge, late participation may be accepted if scheduling allows. ________________________________ 🏁 KICKin-Rollin Challenge – Optional Pre-Registration This challenge does not require advance registration, but if you express interest before the competition, it will help us plan appropriately. A registration deadline will be announced during the event. ________________________________ 📜 Pre-Qualification Rules for RoboCup 2026 The following pre-qualification criteria will apply for RoboCup 2026: * Top three teams from the main competition (or four, if the top three include a Challenge Shield team) * Highest-ranked Challenge Shield team if not already qualified * Highest-ranked team not already qualified based on combined results from the Open Research and KICKin-Rollin Challenges ________________________________ ⚽ Extra Balls – Request from LOC The local organizing committee (LOC) was unable to acquire official SPL balls in time. Therefore, we kindly ask teams to bring extra balls from their inventory to serve as official game balls. Please inform the OC if you can contribute at rc-spl-oc(a)lists.robocup.org ________________________________ If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re looking forward to seeing your robots on the field in Salvador! The RoboCup SPL Technical Committee & Organizing Committee

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BHumanCode Usage WisTex United
by Adam Labiosa 18 Jun '25

18 Jun '25

Hello all, I’m writing to announce the use of the BHumanCodeRelease (2023) version for the WisTex United team. We consider our codebase to be derived software as we use the BHuman motion control, localization, perception and communication modules. The specific contribution of our work (taken from our SPL 2025 application) is as follows: Our team codebase for the 2025 competition is based upon the \href{https://github.com/bhuman/BHumanCodeRelease/releases/tag/coderelease2023}{BHuman 2023 code release }. As described below, our primary contribution has been to replace the high level behaviors written by BHuman with new, learned behaviors trained with deep reinforcement learning. As discussed below, we believe these changes to be transformative in nature. Thus, as of now, our robots use the perception, state-estimation, low-level motion control and communication modules provided by BHuman. We thank BHuman for making their full software stack available. Additionally, we used the open source library \textbf{\href{https://github.com/DLR-RM/stable-baselines3}{stable-baselines3}} to train our policies, using proximal policy optimization\cite{https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.1707.06347}\cite{stable-ba…. We also note our additions this year are improvements in learned cooperation which substantially changes our code but generally leave the BHuman modules unchanged from their 2023 version. We also will once again release our updated code before the end of the year. Adam

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