
The 2026 World Cup has three new figureheads. While the likes of Gianni Infantino and Donald Trump jostle for the limelight, the tournament’s official mascots—one for each host nation—have been unveiled.
Clutch, Zayu and Maple were debuted by FIFA this week in a tradition which began with World Cup Willie back in 1966. Soccer’s governing body rarely stray too far from stereotype when it comes to coming up with a World Cup mascot, invariably picking the animal most commonly associated with the host nation. England’s representative six decades ago, Willie, was a lion.