Robots Have Their Own World Cup
But they're training to compete in ours
The computer Deep Blue defeating world chess champion Garry Kasparov at his own game in 1997 was one thing but when a team of humanoid robots defeats the world’s greatest soccer players it will be something else altogether. These scientists are working to achieve just that. Founded the same year Deep Blue took down Kasparov, the Robocup was born with the mission of developing an artificially intelligent human-like robot by 2050 capable of beating the World Cup soccer champions. But before the robots get to defeating us humans at the world’s favorite game they’re practicing against each other each year in the Robocup, a robot soccer tournament in which the machines must obey the same rules as normal soccer. For this year’s Robocup, more than 4000 engineers and scientists from over 40 countries assembled in Brazil to set their machines competing against one another.
FIFA Rejects Calls to Strip Russia of World Cup
(ZURICH) — FIFA rejected calls to move the 2018 World Cup from Russia, saying the tournament “can achieve positive change.”
Russia’s alleged involvement in shooting down a Malaysia Airlines plane over Ukraine last week prompted calls from some lawmakers in Germany to review the country’s hosting rights.
On Friday, FIFA issued a statement saying it “deplores any form of violence” and questioning the purpose of relocating the sport’s showcase tournament.
“History has shown so far that boycotting sport events or a policy of isolation or confrontation are not the most effective ways to solve problems,” FIFA said, adding that global attention on the World Cup “can be a powerful catalyst for constructive dialogue between people and governments.”
The conflict between Ukraine and pro-Russia separatist rebels escalated days after the World Cup ended in Brazil.
On July 13 in Rio de Janeiro, Russian President Vladimir Putin attended a World Cup hosting handover ceremony with Brazilian counterpart Dilma Rousseff. Both then sat next to FIFA President Sepp Blatter to watch the final at the Maracana Stadium, won by Germany.
FIFA, which has Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko on its executive committee, said a World Cup in the country “can be a force for good.”
“FIFA believes this will be the case for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia,” the governing body said.
Blatter already rejected calls to strip Russia of the tournament after it annexed the Crimea this year.
“The World Cup has been given and voted to Russia and we are going forward with our work,” Blatter said in March.
In a separate statement Friday, Mutko said a U.S.-led boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics had been a mistake.
“So there’s no sense in reacting to politicians trying to make names for themselves,” Mutko was quoted saying by Russian news agency R-Sport. “We’re preparing in a calm way, building facilities, getting ready for the World Cup.”
Russia has announced a $20 billion budget for building and renovating 12 stadiums, and other construction projects, for the first World Cup in Eastern Europe.
“FIFA has stated many times that sport should be outside politics,” Mutko said. “Hosting an event like this, we’re doing it for athletes from all over the world, for footballers, for the fans.”
Desert Storm
Eight years before kickoff, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is already plagued by concerns about heat, corruption and human rights. Will it really happen?
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And so, on a relatively temperate day in Qatar—36°C at 3:45 p.m.—you drive a half-hour north from Doha, past all the construction cranes, past the billboards heralding the future (lusail city, iconic city, we will make it happen) to the patch of bare desert sand that, eight years hence, will stage the planet’s biggest Big Game. You step out of the car, and your sunglasses fog up instantly. In the distance you can make out a white school bus carrying migrant workers— from Nepal, perhaps, or India—to a nearby job site.
What do you see here?
Do you see progress?
Facebook: World Cup Visitors Made 2 New Friends
According to data provided to TIME exclusively from Facebook
World Cup soccer is for making new friends, according to Facebook data, at least.
On average, a visitor who checked into a World Cup stadium on Facebook last month made on average one new Brazilian friend and one friend from another country, according to data provided exclusively by Facebook to TIME and charted in the graphs below.
![new_friendships[5]](http://timedotcom.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/new_friendships5.png?w=560&h=210)
Americans seem to have been some of the most gregarious World Cup visitors, forming the most new friendships with Brazilians during the games and sparking web-relationships with visitors from Great Britain, Australia, Mexico, Colombia and Canada. Visitors from Australia, Argentina, Mexico and Great Britain rounded out the top five countries whose residents were actively forming friendships with Brazilians during the World Cup.
An estimated 3.7 million people traveled throughout Brazil during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and as visitors from around the world hit the myriad stadiums where countries met their futbol fate, they checked in on Facebook over 1 million times. Arrival check-ins peaked on day one of the tournament, when Brazil toppled Croatia 3-1. World Cup stadium check-ins peaked on the tournament’s final day.
![first_checkins[6]](https://timedotcom.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/first_checkins6.png)
The final match between Germany and Argentina on July 13 had the most overall check-ins, according to the data, though the opening match was a close second. In all, there were about 236,600 check-ins to Rio de Janeiro’s Maranca stadium.
![stadium_checkins_viz_final[5]](https://timedotcom.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/stadium_checkins_viz_final5.png)
Watch the 3 Best World Cup Goals in Flip Book Form
A delightfully whimsical blend of sports and art
+ READ ARTICLEFeeling World Cup withdrawal? Relive the excitement with this gorgeous illustrated flip book depicting three of the tournament’s best goals. Though you might have your own opinions on which goals were truly the best, this artist settled on goals scored by Australia’s Tim Cahill, Colombia’s James Rodriguez and the Netherlands’ Robin van Persie.
Here’s the Winner of the World Cup’s Golden Dive Award
In case you were having World Cup withdrawal
+ READ ARTICLEOnly one team can win the World Cup. Only one player can win the Golden Boot or Golden Glove award. And only one lunger extraordinaire can win a completely separate, unofficial award: The Golden Dive.
If you’re reminiscent for World Cup action, the above YouTube video shows all of the flips and flops that were worthy of a “nomination.” The winner was none other than The Netherlands’ Arjen “The Flying Dutchman” Robben.
World Cup Soccer vs. the MLB All-Star Game in 9 Numbers
The World Cup might be over, but sports fans looking for elite level play can still get their fix with today's MLB All-Star Game. Here's how the two sports—and two different all-star competitions—stack up.
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World Cup 2014 by the Numbers
400 million tweets, 3.4 million fans, and 171 goals add up to one great tournament
+ READ ARTICLEFootie fans may be leaving Brazil now that the World Cup’s over, but the numbers on one of the biggest events in the world are just coming in.
The World Cup easily became the most tweeted event in history, but the amount of posts, tweets, and selfies (even by the players) is just overwhelming.
Add those numbers with a tie for most goals during a World Cup, a monstrous budget, and some odd team regulations and you have yourself one very exciting sporting tournament.
Riots Erupt in Argentina Following World Cup Final Loss
Vandals threw rocks at storefronts and attacked police officers
+ READ ARTICLEWhat began as a peaceful celebration of Argentina’s performance in the World Cup final against Germany on Sunday incited police response of tear gas and water cannons just a few hours later after the Albicelestes lost the game.
At least 30 people were arrested in downtown Buenos Aires Sunday, CNN reports, following outbursts of vandalism and violence.
Tens of thousands of fans were gathered around the Obelisk to commemorate the first time the team advanced to the World Cup finals since 1990. But the country’s dream of winning the tournament was dashed in the game’s 113th minute, when Germany scored the game’s only goal.
