Organizers for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, which wil be cohosted by Japan and South Korea, announced Thursday that their trio of futuristic mascots will now be known as "Ato," "Nik" and "Kaz."
The names were selected through a campaign conducted by World Cup official partner McDonald's at the fast food giant's outlets in Japan and South Korea and over the Internet.
Thursday's announcement marked the beginning of the countdown for the final 400 days before the kickoff of soccer's premier event in Asia.
Japanese and South Korean organizers plan to promote the three computer-generated Ato, Nik and Kaz as the official ambassadors of good will for the 2002 tournament.