Official Mascot unveiled for FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017

The Official Mascot of the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 was unveiled on 10 February 2017 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.

The Official Mascot is a clouded leopard called Kheleo. The clouded leopard is a vulnerable wild cat whose habitat extends from the Himalayan foothills to mainland Southeast Asia.

Kheleo will participate in several activities in the run-up to the first FIFA tournament to be hosted by India. The tournament will be played from 6 to 28 October 2017.

About 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup

• The 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup will be the 17th edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

• The FIFA U-17 World Cup is a biennial international men's youth football championship contested by the U17 national teams of the member associations of FIFA.

• The most recent tournament was hosted by Chile and won by Nigeria. However, Nigeria will not be able to defend their title in the 17th edition of the tournament as they failed to reach the final round of the CAF qualifying tournament. In doing so, Nigeria became the first incumbent title holder since Switzerland in 2009 to fail to qualify for the subsequent tournament.

• In September 2016, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 had unveiled the Official Emblem for the event. The emblem of the first-ever FIFA tournament in India was designed as a celebration of the country’s richness and diversity of cultures. The logo includes elements of the Indian Ocean, the banyan tree, the kite and the starburst, which is an interpretation of the Ashoka Chakra, an integral part of the national identity.