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Meet Maple, Zayu and Clutch: a moose, a jaguar and a bald eagle, one for each of the three host nations. Unveiled on 25 September 2025, they are the first trio of mascots ever made for a single World Cup, each with its own playing position and personality. Here is who they are, what they represent, and where you will see them across the 2026 tournament.
The short version. The 2026 World Cup has three official mascots, one for each co-host: Maple the moose for Canada, Zayu the jaguar for Mexico and Clutch the bald eagle for the United States. FIFA revealed them on 25 September 2025. Each was given a footballing role too, with Maple in goal, Zayu up front and Clutch in midfield, and all three are set to feature in the FIFA Heroes video game launching in 2026.
The Headline
The first trio of World Cup mascots
For the first time in the tournament's history, a single World Cup has three mascots rather than one, a direct nod to the first edition co-hosted by three countries.
When FIFA unveiled the mascots on 25 September 2025, it broke with nearly six decades of tradition. Ever since World Cup Willie, the lion that fronted England 1966, almost every tournament had a single mascot. The 2026 World Cup, spread across Canada, Mexico and the United States, instead gets three: one animal for each host, each drawn from that country's wildlife and culture.
The three are Maple, a moose for Canada; Zayu, a jaguar for Mexico; and Clutch, a bald eagle for the United States. FIFA went a step further than simple national symbols and gave each one a position on the pitch and a distinct personality, presenting them as a kind of three-piece team that mirrors the unity of a tournament shared across the continent. The result is the most ambitious mascot launch the World Cup has staged.
Meet The Three
Maple, Zayu and Clutch
Each mascot carries the identity of its host nation and a role in the team. Here is what FIFA gave each one.
CA
Maple
CanadaMooseGoalkeeper
Canada's mascot is a moose, one of the most recognisable animals of the Canadian wilderness. Maple is cast as the goalkeeper of the trio: a street-style loving artist and music enthusiast who has found purpose through creativity, resilience and individuality. The character leans into a modern, expressive look that fits a Canada side led by Alphonso Davies on home soil.
MX
Zayu
MexicoJaguarStriker
Mexico's mascot is a jaguar, a big cat that runs deep through the country's pre-Hispanic heritage and the jungles of its south. Zayu is the striker, embodying the rich heritage and vibrant spirit of Mexico and showing exceptional ingenuity and agility on the pitch. The pick ties neatly to El Tri opening the tournament at the Estadio Azteca.
US
Clutch
United StatesBald EagleMidfielder
The United States is represented by Clutch, a bald eagle, the national bird and a long-standing American symbol. Clutch plays in midfield, with an unquenchable thirst for adventure, boundless curiosity and optimism, fearless on the pitch and uplifting off it, uniting people wherever the trio goes, just as a midfielder links a team together for the USMNT.
At A Glance
The mascots, side by side
Three host nations, three animals, three positions. The quick reference for who is who.
Mascot
Animal
Host nation
Position
Maple
Moose
Canada
Goalkeeper
Zayu
Jaguar
Mexico
Striker
Clutch
Bald eagle
United States
Midfielder
Put together, the three positions form a spine of a team, goalkeeper, midfielder and striker, a small design touch that reinforces the idea of three hosts working as one. It is the first time the World Cup has split its mascot duties this way across separate national characters.
The Design Story
Why three, and why these animals
The trio is a response to the format. With three host countries for the first time, FIFA wanted each to be represented rather than folding everything into one figure.
Past co-hosted tournaments hinted at the idea. The 2002 World Cup, shared by South Korea and Japan, used a set of three computer-generated characters known as the Spheriks. But 2026 is the first time the World Cup has paired a clearly recognisable animal mascot with each individual host nation, making the link between character and country unmistakable.
The animal choices are deliberately national. A moose is shorthand for the Canadian outdoors; the jaguar carries centuries of Mexican cultural symbolism; the bald eagle is the United States' national bird. Around those symbols FIFA built personalities aimed squarely at younger fans, leaning on art, music, adventure and individuality rather than a single generic sporting figure. The goal is a set of characters that can carry merchandise, social content and matchday entertainment across a tournament that will reach further than any before it.
It fits a wider trend in World Cup branding toward characters with backstories and social-media reach, following La'eeb in 2022 and Zabivaka the wolf in 2018. With three to work with, 2026 simply has more room to play.
Where You Will See Them
From the Azteca opener to a video game
The mascots are built to live everywhere the tournament does, on the pitch, in the shops, on screens and in fans' hands.
Expect Maple, Zayu and Clutch across official merchandise, tournament branding and social channels, and in person at fan festivals and matchday ceremonies at all 16 host stadiums. That includes the opening match at the Estadio Azteca on 11 June and the final at MetLife Stadium on 19 July, the bookends of the 104-match schedule.
The biggest departure from past mascots is digital. All three are set to be playable characters in FIFA Heroes, an arcade-style football game launched under FIFA's own licensing programme in 2026 for mobile and console platforms. Rather than appearing only on the sidelines, the mascots become characters fans can actually control, a sign of how the tournament is trying to extend its reach to a younger, gaming audience well beyond the stadiums.
Questions & Answers
Frequently asked questions
Who are the 2026 World Cup mascots?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has three official mascots, one for each host nation: Maple the moose for Canada, Zayu the jaguar for Mexico and Clutch the bald eagle for the United States. They were unveiled on 25 September 2025 and are the first trio of mascots ever created for a single World Cup, with each one given its own playing position and personality.
What are the names of the 2026 World Cup mascots?
The three mascots are named Maple, Zayu and Clutch. Maple is the moose representing Canada, Zayu is the jaguar representing Mexico, and Clutch is the bald eagle representing the United States. Each name and animal was chosen to reflect the national identity of its host country.
When were the 2026 World Cup mascots revealed?
FIFA unveiled Maple, Zayu and Clutch on 25 September 2025, a little under nine months before the tournament kicks off on 11 June 2026. The reveal marked the first time a single edition of the World Cup launched three separate mascots, one for each of the three co-hosts.
Which animal represents each 2026 host nation?
Canada is represented by Maple, a moose, an animal long associated with the Canadian wilderness. Mexico is represented by Zayu, a jaguar, a big cat that runs through the country's pre-Hispanic heritage and the jungles of its south. The United States is represented by Clutch, a bald eagle, the national bird and a long-standing symbol of the country.
What positions do Maple, Zayu and Clutch play?
Each mascot was given a footballing role. Maple the moose is the goalkeeper of the trio, a creative, street-style artist and music lover. Zayu the jaguar is the striker, prized for ingenuity and agility. Clutch the bald eagle is the midfielder, an adventurous, optimistic character who links the group together, mirroring how a midfielder connects a team.
Why does the 2026 World Cup have three mascots?
Because 2026 is the first World Cup co-hosted by three countries, FIFA chose to give each host nation its own mascot rather than a single shared figure. Canada, Mexico and the United States each get a character drawn from its own culture and wildlife, and together the three are designed to represent the unity of a tournament spread across the continent. It is the first time a single World Cup has had a distinct mascot for every host.
Has a World Cup ever had more than one mascot before?
Yes, but not in this form. The 2002 World Cup co-hosted by South Korea and Japan used a set of three computer-generated characters known as the Spheriks. The 2026 mascots are different because each is a recognisable animal tied to a specific host country, making this the first World Cup with one clearly national mascot per host. Most editions, from World Cup Willie in 1966 onward, have used a single mascot.
Where will the 2026 World Cup mascots appear?
Maple, Zayu and Clutch appear across the tournament's branding, official merchandise, social media, fan festivals and matchday ceremonies at all 16 host stadiums, including the opening match at the Estadio Azteca and the final at MetLife Stadium. They are also set to feature as playable characters in FIFA Heroes, a FIFA-licensed mobile and console game launching in 2026.
Are Maple, Zayu and Clutch in a video game?
Yes. All three mascots are set to be playable characters in FIFA Heroes, an arcade-style football game launched under FIFA's own licensing programme in 2026 for mobile and console platforms. It is part of FIFA's push to give the mascots a life beyond stadium appearances and merchandise, putting them directly in the hands of fans.
What do the 2026 World Cup mascots represent?
Beyond their host nations, the three are built around personality. Maple stands for creativity, resilience and individuality through art and music. Zayu carries Mexico's heritage and vibrant spirit with flair and agility. Clutch embodies curiosity, optimism and a sense of adventure that brings people together. FIFA designed them to appeal to younger fans and to capture the welcoming, multicultural spirit of a tournament shared by three countries.
This mascots guide was hand-written from the official FIFA announcement and the following reporting, used to confirm the names, animals, host nations, positions and reveal date:
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