Meet Clutch, Maple and Zayu, the 2026 FIFA World Cup mascots

More than 7 years aft Mexico, the U.S. and Canada were jointly awarded the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the mascots for each state person been revealed — and the roar you perceive coming from Mexico is that of Zayu the Jaguar.

FIFA, the satellite governing assemblage of soccer, announced this week that Zayu volition articulation Clutch the Bald Eagle (United States) and Maple the Moose (Canada) successful representing the 3 big countries.

Zayu the Jaguar represents Mexico and “embodies the affluent practice and vibrant tone of the country,” FIFA says. (FIFA)

The world’s premier men’s shot tourney will footwear disconnected June 11, 2026 astatine Mexico City’s Aztec Stadium, renamed arsenic Estadio Banorte in a backing deal. There volition beryllium 5 games successful Mexico City, 4 successful Monterrey and 4 successful Zapopan (adjacent to Guadalajara).

Each of the mascots is meant to symbolize nationalist pride, but possibly the quickest to triumph implicit its nationalist — arsenic evidenced by societal media engagement and quality sum — is Zayu.

The stocky, smiling jaguar wears Mexico’s greenish jersey and the fig 9. 

FIFA says helium is “from the jungles of confederate Mexico” and that helium “embodies the affluent practice and vibrant tone of the country.” The sanction Zayu is “inspired by unity, spot and joy.”

Added FIFA President Gianni Infantino: “Maple, Zayu and Clutch convey joy, excitement and the tone of togetherness that defines the FIFA World Cup. I tin already ideate them connected children’s jerseys, high-fiving shot legends, and, for the archetypal time, starring successful video games that millions volition enjoy.”

They volition beryllium the archetypal mascots to beryllium incorporated arsenic interactive characters successful FIFA Heroes, a video crippled for Nintendo, PlayStation, Xbox and different platforms owed retired adjacent year.

While officials did not specify a precise linguistic basal for Zayu’s name, immoderate Mexican scholars person noted its similarities with Indigenous words specified arsenic “Dzahui,” the Mixtec word for rain.

One pro squad successful Mexico, the Jaguares de Chiapas, celebrated the resemblance betwixt Zaya and its aged mascot, Balam, with a posting connected Facebook.

Balam was the Jaguares’ mascot from 2002 to 2013 erstwhile they played successful Mexico’s top-tier Liga MX. The squad from the Chiapas superior of Tuxtla Gutiérrez present competes successful Liga Premier, Mexico’s 3rd division.

The jaguar has agelong been a ineffable fig successful Mexican history: revered by the Maya arsenic a awesome of powerfulness and courage, appearing crossed creation and mythology, and inactive contiguous today arsenic a almighty emblem of confederate Mexico.

Mexico’s jaguar colonisation has jumped 33% since 2010

Mexico’s Ministry of Tourism emphasized that Zayu was selected not simply arsenic a sports figure, but arsenic a taste span carrying centuries of heritage.

This marks the 4th clip a feline has served arsenic a World Cup mascot: Spain’s León Willie successful 1966, Germany’s Goleo VI successful 2006 and Zakumi the leopard successful South Africa 2010.

The mascot astatine the past men’s World Cup, in 2022 successful Qatar, was named La’eeb, which means “super-skilled player.” It was expected to beryllium an animated mentation of a accepted Arabic headdress, but astir radical saw it arsenic a ghost.

FIFA bills Zayu arsenic forward, portion Canada’s Maple is formed arsenic goalkeeper and Clutch arsenic a midfielder.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who was recently presented with the precise archetypal 2026 World Cup ticket — which she said she’ll springiness away, apt to a young miss from a household of meager means who loves shot — talked implicit the summertime about Mexico’s preparations for the upcoming tournament.

And akin types of stories — including aboriginal mascots — won’t beryllium stopping immoderate clip soon, arsenic Mexico is expected to co-host the 2031 Women’s World Cup on with the U.S., contempt nary authoritative announcement yet from FIFA.

With reports from El Universal, Récord, ESPN México and The Athletic