The Official Mascot of the FIFA Futsal World Cup Lithuania 2021™ danced his way into fans’ hearts and on to social media today.
Ivartito showed his moves and his personality in a digital launch featuring choreography by a local dance studio.
The young stork’s youthful enthusiasm shone as he danced around the three host cities: Vilnius, Klaipeda, and Kaunas, making stops at the dramatic Gediminas Castle, a picturesque Baltic Sea beach, and Nemunas Island, in the heart of Kaunas.
As mascot, Ivartito is an advocate for the tournament and the sport, bringing openness and passion to everything he does. His friendly nature makes him a great team player and his name – taken from the Lithuanian word for goal “įvartis” – is a nod to the fast-paced, high-scoring nature of futsal.
The stork has been the national bird of Lithuania since 1973 and is a symbol of the country’s ecological diversity and natural beauty. Storks are also thought to bring harmony, happiness, and luck.
“Official Mascots are special assets that create an emotional connection with our audience. Ivartito’s youthful exuberance makes him an ideal ambassador for this event, encouraging everyone he meets to share his joy and passion for futsal,” said Jean-François Pathy, FIFA’s Director of Marketing.
“Futsal is an exciting, fast-paced and skilful sport that can be played and enjoyed by all; we hope this mascot will encourage Lithuanian fans of all ages to join us pitchside this time next year.”
“We are very happy to share the rhythm and this good news after so many months of the pandemic,” said Lithuanian Football Federation General Secretary Edgaras Stankevicius. “As you can see, the postponement of the event to 2021 does not mean that work has stopped.”
“Personally, I like the mascot a lot! Ivartito has come to Lithuania with his special dance, which we hope everyone will try,” added Stankevicius.
Fans and futsal lovers all over the world are invited to challenge themselves by trying out Ivartito’s dance moves.
The FIFA Futsal World Cup Lithuania 2021™ will take place from 12 September to 3 October. More information can be found on FIFA.com/futsalworldcup.