RoboCupJunior Soccer is the most watchable league of all: two robots per side, one ball, and a game that genuinely resembles football — except nobody is holding a controller. Everything was decided in advance, in code.
Divisions
- Soccer Entry — the entry division for newer teams, with simpler rules and fewer hardware constraints.
- Soccer Open — the advanced division with more design freedom and far denser competition.
- SuperTeam — a special format where two teams from different countries merge into one. It exists for international collaboration and is usually the most memorable part of the event for the students.
How the robot finds the ball
The match ball is typically an infrared ball emitting pulsed IR light. A ring of IR sensors around the robot tells it roughly where the ball is and how far. That is the easy part. The hard part is knowing where the robot itself is standing.
- A digital compass so the robot knows which goal it faces. Without one, robots score own goals with total confidence.
- Distance sensors for wall proximity.
- Line sensors for detecting the field boundary.
Tactics separate the good teams
With two robots, do not build two identical ones. Role division is the single biggest scoring jump in this league:
- Striker: always chasing the ball, high acceleration, kicker fitted.
- Defender/keeper: stays in its own zone and blocks the ball's path — slower, but better positioned.
Teams that field two strikers usually collide, steal the ball from each other and leave their own goal open.
Mechanics win matches
- Omni-directional drive: omni wheels let the robot move any direction without turning — a large tactical advantage.
- Dribbler: a roller that holds the ball against the robot.
- Kicker: a spring or solenoid mechanism for shooting.
- Structural durability: collisions are constant; a robot that falls apart on first contact loses the match.
Where to start
Practical advice: build one robot that simply chases the ball and takes it to the correct goal. Once that is reliable, add the second robot and role division. For the underlying mechanics, read how a soccer robot works. To start without hardware, the Soccer Simulation league teaches the same tactical concepts at zero cost.
Frequently asked questions
How many robots do we need?
Usually two per team depending on the division — but for practice, getting one robot reliable first is enough.
Where do we get the infrared ball?
Standard balls are available from robotics suppliers; the important thing is matching the model specified in that year’s call.
What ages does it suit?
Entry suits about age 10–12 upward; Open is for teenagers with prior robot-building experience.
Want to compete in robot football?
Novin Zehn competition teams train from zero to the world stage — in Tehran and live online.
Register / free consultation Soccer robot course