The partnership under the “Essawa Yonna, Kisoboka” campaign will celebrate football rituals, fan communities and the moments that make the beautiful game special
Kampala: Coca-Cola is bringing Ugandan football fans closer to the game through an expanded partnership with FanBench, creating opportunities for young people to celebrate their football passion, connect with fellow supporters and win through the Essawa Yonna, Kisoboka User-Generated Content (UGC) Challenge.
Officially launched at a press conference held at Motiv Bugolobi in Kampala on 12 November, the partnership will bring together football, fan culture, digital content and shared experiences, building towards a grand football watch party on 20 December 2026, when Arsenal take on Manchester United.
At the heart of the initiative is a simple insight: Ugandans love football, and that passion goes far beyond the match itself. From the friends and family who gather to watch games, the jerseys and team colours they proudly wear, the match-day meals and drinks they enjoy, to the debates, predictions, celebrations and rituals that accompany every fixture, football creates a powerful sense of community.
Throug the partnership with FanBench, Coca-Cola is tapping into this passion by creating platforms where fans can express themselves, share their unique football experiences and celebrate the moments that bring them together.
Speaking at the launch, Barry Otieno, Senior Marketing Manager at The Coca-Cola Company in Uganda said: “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.
“At Coca-Cola, we want to be part of these moments. Through Essawa Yonna, Kisoboka and our partnership with FanBench, we are giving football fans an opportunity to celebrate their passion, share their stories and connect with other fans. We are also making the experience more rewarding by giving them a chance to win through the content challenge, with UGX 1 million up for grabs. We want to see how Ugandans experience football and celebrate the creativity, excitement and community that make the game special.”
Share your football moments and win UGX 1 million
A major component of the campaign is the Essawa Yonna, Kisoboka UGC Challenge, which invites football fans to create and share content capturing their football moments, match-day rituals and experiences. Whether it is a video showing how they prepare for a big match, a celebration after their team scores, a friendly football debate with friends, a watch-party experience or a unique match-day tradition, fans are encouraged to turn their passion into creative content. With UGX 1 million up for grabs, the challenge gives fans an opportunity to be recognised and rewarded for the creativity and excitement they bring to football culture.
How to participate
Capture your football moment: Create an original video or post showcasing your football passion, match-day rituals, celebrations, predictions, fan conversations or how you enjoy watching the game.
Share it on social media: Post your content on your social media platform, making sure your entry is publicly visible.Tag Coca-Cola and FanBench: Tag the official Coca-Cola Uganda and FanBench social media pages in your post.
Use the campaign hashtags: Include #COCACOLAFootball #EssaawaYonna #CreateWithCOCACOLA to make your entry part of the campaign conversation. Fans are encouraged to be authentic, creative and original in showing what football means to them. The challenge will reward outstanding fan creativity, with UGX 1 million available to be won every month. The winners are selected through a leaderboard based on cumulative views on social media posts on Instagram and TikTok.
Bringing football communities together through Bench FridaysBeyond the digital challenge, the partnership will introduce Bench Fridays, a series of football-themed watch-alongs and interactive fan experiences hosted at selected venues across Kampala, with additional locations to be announced.Through Bench Fridays, fans will come together to enjoy live match experiences, football conversations, friendly banter, debates and community interactions. The experiences will provide spaces for supporters to express their opinions, celebrate their teams and connect with fellow football enthusiasts.
The initiative also forms part of Coca-Cola’s broader Youth Voices programme, which puts young people at the centre of experiences that encourage creativity, self-expression and community connection.The campaign will culminate on 20 December 2026, with a major Arsenal versus Manchester United watch party at UMA Grounds. The event will bring together the fan communities, conversations and excitement built throughout the campaign for a celebration of football, rivalry and togetherness.
Wycliff Tugume, popularly known as Ykee Benda, and proprietor of FanBench, said: “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. 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. We are looking forward to building something that gives fans a voice and creates memorable experiences for the football community.”
FanBench, a Ugandan football culture and sports entertainment platform, will leverage its football community, digital content capabilities, influencer network and experiential event expertise to bring the campaign to life. Its role will include coordinating Bench Fridays, facilitating fan engagement, amplifying conversations across digital platforms and building momentum towards the December 20 grand finale.
Through this partnership, Coca-Cola continues to demonstrate how it connects with consumers beyond its beverages, creating opportunities for people to enjoy the things they love, celebrate shared passions and make meaningful connections. The journey begins with the fans. Whether through a social media post, a lively football debate or a watch party with friends, Coca-Cola and FanBench are inviting Ugandans to share their football moments and make every football moment count.
