Soccer
World Cup stories: Who are the mascots? What animals are they and what are their names?
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Perhaps as memorable as the players and teams from each edition of the FIFA World Cup are the mascots, which are unique to each edition of the quadrennial football tournament and represent the nations each competition takes place in.
Previous World Cup mascots include Ciao, the stick figure from Italy 1990 with a ball for a head, Striker, the red, white and blue-clad dog from USA 1994, and most recently, Qatar 2022's La'eeb.
Joining those mascots in the annals of footballing history are a trio of new characters for World Cup 2026, now just 53 days away, which will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Here's what we know about the newest World Cup mascots.
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Who are the FIFA World Cup 2026 mascots?
FIFA
For just the second time in history, there will be three official mascots for a single World Cup as FIFA have unveiled an anthropomorphic animal to represent each of the three North American countries who are set to host this summer's event.
Canada's representative is Maple the Moose, Zayu the Jaguar is the Mexican mascot, and carrying the flag for the United States is Clutch the Bald Eagle.
“Maple, Zayu and Clutch are full of joy, energy and the spirit of togetherness, just like the FIFA World Cup itself,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in a statement.
“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."
Maple
FIFA
FIFA describes the moose as "a street style-loving artist, music enthusiast and dedicated goalkeeper" who journeys across Canada and connects with people in each province and territory.
Zayu
FIFA
Zayu's name is "inspired by unity, strength and joy" according to FIFA, and the jaguar "embraces Mexican culture through dance, food and tradition."
Clutch
FIFA
The midfielder of the group, Clutch is said to possess "an unquenchable thirst for adventure, soaring across the United States and embracing every culture, game and moment with boundless curiosity and optimism."
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