The world football governing body, FIFA, has unveiled three official mascots for the 2026 World Cup.
“Maple” the Moose from Canada, “Zayu” the Jaguar from Mexico and “Clutch” the Bald Eagle from the United States, will represent the first edition of the tournament to be jointly hosted by the three nations.
FIFA, in a statement, said, ”In a celebration as bold and boundary-breaking as the tournament itself, FIFA today (Thursday) unveiled the three Official FIFA World Cup 26 Mascots, each highlighting one of the host nations of the world’s greatest sporting event.
“Maple the Moose (Canada), Zayu the Jaguar (Mexico) and Clutch the Bald Eagle (United States) have been thoughtfully developed to reflect the vibrant culture, heritage and spirit of their respective countries, coming together to symbolise unity, diversity and the shared passion for the beautiful game.”
Speaking after the unveiling of the mascots, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said, “The three mascots are central to the incredible, entertaining atmosphere we’re creating for this game-changing tournament. They’ll win hearts and spark celebrations across North America and around the world.
“I can already picture them on children’s shirts, high-fiving football legends and – in another first for this tournament – starring in video games played by millions worldwide.”
According to the world football governing body, in the spirit of connecting with young fans, Maple, Zayu and Clutch will become the first mascots to be playable, in the all-new FIFA-licensed title, FIFA Heroes expected to be launched next year.
