Picture this: It’s 8 p.m. in Tokyo. A sellout crowd roars as the “Kyoto Crushers” — an all-robot team — rolls onto the pitch for a championship match. Their opponents, the “Berlin Blitzers,” have traveled halfway across the globe to compete in the world’s most prestigious robotic football league. Cameras mounted on drones track every movement, AI-driven commentary calls the action, and streaming audiences in dozens of countries watch live. It’s not the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, or MLS; it’s something entirely separate: its own league, with its own rules, stars, and style. And if the data is any indication, there’s a significant potential audience for it.

The Curiosity Is Real

YouGov Custom Research survey data (July 22–26, 2025) shows that 1 in 3 US sports fans say they’d have at least some interest in watching a league made up entirely of robot athletes. That interest spikes among younger fans, with nearly half (49%) of those ages 18–34 intrigued by the idea — making them 48% more likely than the average US sports fan to lean in.

Black sports fans also show above-average interest (44%), as do avid sports fans (40%), suggesting that both diverse and highly engaged audiences could help fuel early adoption.

But here’s the key: much of this interest is curiosity-driven. Among younger fans who say they’re interested in an all-robot league, nearly half (46%) are “a little bit interested,” indicating the potential is there, but the product would need to earn deeper commitment over time.

Humans vs. Robots: A Gateway Format

For audiences hesitant to go all-in on a fully robotic league, a mixed format could serve as a bridge. Nationally, 40% of sports fans express interest in watching human athletes compete directly against robots in the same competition. That number jumps to 57% among younger fans, who are 40% more likely than average to be interested.

This format inspires stronger engagement as only 37% of younger fans in this group are “just a little bit interested,” compared to the heavier casual interest in the all-robot model. For sports entrepreneurs and event organizers, it may serve as a gateway product and an approachable way to introduce robotic competition while still keeping the human drama intact.

Roles Robots Could Play — On and Off the Field

Fans don’t just see robots as athletes. The top roles they envision include:

  • Camera or broadcasting systems (42%)
  • Field/court maintenance and cleaning (39%)
  • Automated ticket takers or concession stand attendants (37%)
  • Autonomous ball retrievers (33%)
  • Referees or officials (30%), tied with novelty halftime entertainment (30%)

These could serve as early footholds and functional, low-risk ways to get robotics into live sports environments without overhauling the game itself.

Which Sports Could Lead the Charge?

If stand-alone robot sports leagues emerge, certain sports are better positioned to gain traction. Combat sports lead the pack, with 17% of US sports fans expressing interest — rising to 24% among younger fans and 22% among Black fans.

American football (16% nationally) and basketball (15%) follow closely, with basketball topping the list for Black sports fans (25%). Soccer also shows notable potential, especially with younger fans: 24% of 18–34-year-olds say they’d watch robot soccer, tied with combat sports as their top choices.

For potential investors, this suggests that high-impact, globally accessible sports could serve as the foundation for early robot leagues, particularly in markets with younger, tech-forward demographics.

The Integrity Question and the Role of Big Tech

Where there’s sport, there’s betting. And in a robotic sports league, the stakes around integrity could be even higher. The fear wouldn’t be biased referees, but the possibility of bad actors hacking the technology to alter outcomes. A manipulated AI decision or a compromised control system could shift results in ways invisible to the naked eye.

That’s where the biggest tech players may play a role. Just as auto brands have long used motorsports as a proving ground for performance and safety innovations, companies like Microsoft, Apple, OpenAI, and Toyota could see robotic sports as a sponsorship opportunity and a test lab for the most secure, advanced systems possible. Their involvement wouldn’t just be about marketing. It could also be about guaranteeing competitive integrity at the highest level.

Could Robot Leagues Go Mainstream?

Right now, just 17% of sports fans believe robot sports leagues could eventually become as popular as traditional human sports. Optimism is higher among younger fans (25%) and Black sports fans (30%), but most see this as a niche — at least for now. Older fans are especially skeptical: only 6% of those 55+ believe parity is possible.

That skepticism reinforces the idea that robot sports will likely develop as a parallel ecosystem, not as a replacement for the major leagues we know today.

The Road Ahead

Think of esports 15 years ago: an unfamiliar format, met with curiosity but not widespread belief that it could draw global audiences. Today, it’s a billion-dollar industry with international tournaments, dedicated arenas, and a loyal fan base. Robot sports could follow a similar trajectory, remaining separate from traditional leagues, but carving out a devoted audience of its own.

The YouGov data shows that significant segments of the sports audience — especially younger, diverse, and avid fans — are already open to the concept. The challenge for innovators will be turning that curiosity into passion, crafting competitions that deliver the unpredictability, stakes, and storytelling that make sport compelling.

Should a global robot league fill stadiums in Seoul, São Paulo, and Sydney one day, it won’t be because it replaced the NFL or NBA; it will be because it became something entirely new — a different kind of game, built for a different type of fan, in a world where sport keeps finding ways to reinvent itself.

Methodology

YouGov Custom Research leverages quantitative and qualitative methods to generate tailored insights with YouGov experts providing sample framing, questionnaire design, complex analysis, and hard-hitting presentations. Learn more about Custom Research.

Scores in this article are based on responses from more than 1,000 U.S. sports fans.

About the author:

Davey Chadwick is the Head of US Sport Client Services at YouGov Sport. He can be reached at davey.chadwick@yougov.com.