Will the next Messi be a robot?

While the world's eyes are on Lionel Messi at the FIFA World Cup, another soccer tournament unfolds in Incheon — with robot players.

RoboCup 2026 kicked off Thursday in Incheon's Songdo Convensia, showcasing a wide range of artificial intelligence robots capable of performing complicated tasks such as soccer and household chores.

Often referred to as the "World Cup of Robotics," RoboCup has been held annually since its first event in Nagoya, Japan, in 1997.

Thousands of competitors bring robots ...