Coca-Cola has partnered with Ugandan football culture and sports entertainment platform FanBench to launch an exciting fan engagement campaign aimed at celebrating the country’s deep-rooted love for football while rewarding supporters for their creativity and passion.
The partnership, launched at Motiv Bugolobi on 12 November 2026, is part of Coca-Cola’s “Essawa Yonna, Kisoboka” campaign, which seeks to bring football fans closer to the sport through digital content creation, community experiences and live watch parties.
Recognising that football in Uganda extends far beyond the 90 minutes played on the pitch, the campaign will shine a spotlight on the rituals, traditions and shared experiences that unite supporters across the country.
From match-day gatherings and heated debates to celebrations and friendly rivalries, football continues to play a significant role in connecting Ugandans from all walks of life.
Speaking during the launch, Barry Otieno, Senior Marketing Manager at The Coca-Cola Company in Uganda, said football remains one of the most powerful platforms for bringing people together.
“Football is more than just a game in Uganda. It is a passion that brings people together, sparks conversations and creates a strong sense of community. Whether it is friends gathering to watch their favourite teams, families sharing match-day moments, the friendly rivalry between supporters or the rituals that fans have before every game, football is part of how Ugandans connect and enjoy life,” Otieno said.
He added that through the FanBench partnership, Coca-Cola aims to celebrate football fandom by giving supporters a platform to share their experiences while also rewarding outstanding creativity.
Fans Stand a Chance to Win UGX 1 Million Every Month
A major highlight of the campaign is the Essawa Yonna, Kisoboka User-Generated Content (UGC) Challenge, which invites football fans to create and share content showcasing how they experience and enjoy the beautiful game.
Participants are encouraged to post videos and content featuring their match-day rituals, pre-match predictions, goal celebrations, football conversations, watch-party moments and other unique fan experiences.
To participate, fans must create original football-related content, post it publicly on social media, tag the official Coca-Cola Uganda and FanBench pages and include the campaign hashtags #COCACOLAFootball, #EssaawaYonna and #CreateWithCOCACOLA.
The competition offers participants the opportunity to win UGX 1 million every month, with winners determined through a leaderboard system based on cumulative views generated on Instagram and TikTok.
According to campaign organisers, the challenge is designed to celebrate authentic football stories while encouraging young people to express their creativity through digital content.
Bench Fridays to Bring Fans Together
In addition to the online challenge, the partnership will introduce Bench Fridays, a series of football-themed watch-along events and fan experiences that will be hosted at selected venues across Kampala and other locations that will be announced later.
The events will create opportunities for supporters to watch matches together, exchange opinions, engage in football banter and strengthen relationships within the football community.
Organisers believe the initiative will provide a vibrant environment where fans from different clubs and backgrounds can come together to celebrate their shared passion for the sport.
The programme also forms part of Coca-Cola’s broader Youth Voices initiative, which seeks to empower young people through creativity, self-expression and meaningful community engagement.
Ykee Benda Excited About Partnership
Wycliff Tugume, popularly known as Ykee Benda and founder of FanBench, welcomed the collaboration, describing it as a major step forward for the platform.
“As the proprietor of FanBench, I am very excited to see this vision come to life, and there could not be a better partner than Coca-Cola, which has consistently supported great ideas, particularly those driven by young people,” he said.
Ykee Benda noted that the partnership will help expand FanBench’s influence while creating memorable experiences for football supporters.
“We believe this partnership will help us grow FanBench into a platform with global potential, celebrating football fandom and bringing supporters together through their shared love of the game,” he added.
FanBench will play a key role in driving the campaign through its network of football enthusiasts, content creators, influencers and experiential football events, helping to build momentum ahead of the campaign’s grand finale.
Grand Finale Set for Arsenal vs Manchester United Clash
The campaign will culminate on 20 December 2026 with a major football watch party at UMA Grounds, where fans will gather to watch the highly anticipated English Premier League fixture between Arsenal and Manchester United.
The event is expected to bring together football communities, content creators and supporters who will have participated throughout the campaign, creating a fitting celebration of football culture, rivalry and togetherness.
Through its collaboration with FanBench, Coca-Cola continues to strengthen its connection with young consumers by creating experiences that extend beyond beverages and into the passions that matter most to them.
For football enthusiasts across Uganda, the campaign offers an opportunity to share their stories, celebrate their love for the game and potentially walk away with exciting rewards while becoming part of a growing football community.
