FIFA World Cup Mascots

The tradition of having a different mascot for every FIFA World Cup representing the host country has been in place for 40 years. World Cup Willie (a lion), the first mascot to be introduced at the FIFA World Cup hailed from England and was the official mascot of the 1966 FIFA World Cup. The FIFA World Cup Mascot is one of the first mascots to be associated with a single sport championship tournament. The mascot is usually targeted at the younger generation, cartoon shows featuring the mascot and merchandises with the mascot on it are released in time to coincide with the start of the world cup. Each year the mascot of the World Cup represents a particular characteristic feature of the host nation.  It could be the national colors, flora, fauna, etc.

The official mascot of the FIFA World Cup 2010 South Africa is Zakumi, a leopard who dyed his hair green because it is the perfect camouflage on a green football ground. Zakumi has been designed and produced exclusively in South Africa. He was born in 1994, the year that South Africa became a democratic nation. Zakumi was coined from two words, ZA meaning South Africa and kumi meaning ten in various languages across the nation.

Official FIFA World Cup Mascots