Mascot...

A mascot – originally a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – now includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as (in this case) a major sporting event like the World Cup or the Olympics.

Possible animals:
Lion/ Cheetah/ Elephant/ Buffalo/ Rhino/ Leopard

Possible names: (derived from traditiona Africanl' Zulu' language)
Feza (meaning 'Achieve')
Shela (meaning 'Passion')
Themba (meaning to 'have faith in')