If you’re a soccer fan, you must have witnessed soccer players walking into the field with kids. But have you wondered why? The kids who walk alongside the players are often referred to as “player escorts” or “mascot children.”
Why Do Soccer Players Walk Out With Children?
The tradition of soccer players walking out on the field with kids has been around for over 20 years. It began in the 90s when one player escort per team would walk out with the team. Since 2000, each player walks out with their own player mascot. Early on, the practice of having children escort the players was a way to raise awareness for charitable causes.
In preparation for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, FIFA and UNICEF collaborated on a program known as “Say Yes For Children”. The program aimed to promote and safeguard the right of every child to enjoy healthy recreation and receive quality primary education, as stated in a UNICEF press release in 2002. The press release also stated that children were given a significant role in each match, accompanying the soccer players onto the pitch in a symbolic gesture to remind football enthusiasts of their crucial responsibility in creating a world that is suitable for children.
Since 2002, McDonald’s has been a major sponsor of the mascot program for the World Cup and European Championships. They provide parents and children with an opportunity to enter the sweepstakes and potentially win a highly-coveted spot. In 2014, McDonald’s sent 1,400 kids from 70 countries to attend the World Cup in Brazil.
How Are The Kids Chosen?
Traditionally, teams typically coordinate with local schools or junior teams to choose mascots. The selection process is entirely at the discretion of the schools and teams. Mostly, athletic skill is the primary factor used to determine which kid will be selected as the mascot. While this is not always the case, it is a common expectation.
Moreover, the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia will be sponsored by the Commonwealth Bank. They also released a statement,
“CommBank and FIFA will work together on many initiatives and activations as the countdown to the largest women’s sporting event on the planet continues, most notably the CommBank FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Player Escort Programme, which will see 1,500 children aged 6-10 accompany players onto the pitch before matches in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
The initiative by the Commonwealth Bank with the Player Escort Programme aims to inspire kids and communities through women’s football. The mascots that accompany the soccer players are also given “mascot packages” which include gear, jerseys, signed merch, etc, which adds to the cost. It sure does inspire young kids but has also drawn criticism from some communities who claim that the leagues often pick kids from affluent backgrounds to walk out with the soccer players rather than those less fortunate. And also charge these kids somewhere around £450 for walking out as player escorts.
Nonetheless, the tradition gives young fans a chance to meet their idols and favourite soccer players which further inspires them.
