Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The courageous and talented sand cat "Haddaf", who is coming from the sand dunes in the west of the Kingdom, is ready to catch eyes with his soccer skills after being revealed by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) as the official mascot of the FIFA Club World Cup Saudi Arabia 2023.

This was disclosed by FIFA and SAFF on Monday at the launch ceremony in Historic Jeddah.

Haddaf made a distinguished entry in the tournament's promotional tour, where attendees took pictures with him and the FIFA Club World Cup 2023 present on site.

The character of Haddaf, inspired by the sand cat, represents the value of competitiveness in the soccer world. It also reflects the passion shown by the love and loyalty of the Saudi people toward the tournament for decades.

Haddaf, who came from the heart of the golden sand dunes in the west of Saudi Arabia, to catch the soccer fans’ attention with his talent and skills as a striker who combines strength, speed and shots, will express his passion for football as a sport that overcomes all borders, obstacles and cultures and unites the peoples of the world.

Marco Nazzari, FIFA's Director of Marketing, Brand and Business Intelligence, stated that Haddaf will embody the spirit of this global tournament being the official mascot of the FIFA Club World Cup Saudi Arabia 2023.

"Whether you are following one of the biggest clubs in the world or an underdog hoping to spring a surprise, football is for everyone – and Haddaf’s character will demonstrate this," Nazzari said.

The energy that Haddaf enjoys represents the prevailing passion for football in Saudi Arabia.

The FIFA Club World Cup 2023, hosted in Saudi Arabia for the first time, from December 12 to 22 in Jeddah, will witness clashes between English Manchester City FC, Mexican Club León, Egyptian Al Ahly FC, Japanese Urawa Reds, New Zealand's Auckland City FC, Brazilian Fluminense FC, as well as the Saudi Al Ittihad FC.