Coca-Cola has partnered with local football entertainment platform FanBench to reward Ugandans for showcasing their passion for football, with Shs1 million up for grabs every month through a social media content challenge.
The initiative, launched in Kampala on November 12, 2026, under the company’s “Essawa Yonna, Kisoboka” campaign, seeks to tap into Uganda’s growing football culture by giving fans an opportunity to share their match-day experiences, celebrations and interactions with fellow supporters.
The partnership will also introduce Bench Fridays, a series of football-themed watch parties and interactive events at selected venues in Kampala, as the two partners seek to bring supporters together beyond the football pitch.
The campaign will culminate on December 20, 2026, with a major watch party at UMA Grounds during the Arsenal versus Manchester United fixture.
Speaking at the launch held at Motiv Bugolobi, Barry Otieno, Coca-Cola’s senior marketing manager in Uganda, said football provides an opportunity for people to connect through shared interests and experiences.
“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,” Otieno said.
He said the partnership with FanBench would give supporters a platform to express their passion while rewarding their creativity.
“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 Shs1 million up for grabs,” he said.
Under the user-generated content challenge, fans are required to create original videos or social media posts showing how they experience football. These could include match-day preparations, celebrations, predictions, football debates or traditions they share with friends and family.
To participate, entrants must publish their content on social media, tag the official Coca-Cola Uganda and FanBench pages, and use the hashtags #COCACOLAFootball, #EssaawaYonna and #CreateWithCOCACOLA.
Entries must be publicly visible to qualify. Winners will be determined through a leaderboard based on the cumulative views their posts attract on Instagram and TikTok.
The organisers say Shs1 million will be awarded every month to recognise outstanding creativity and fan engagement.
Beyond the online competition, Bench Fridays will provide physical spaces where supporters can watch matches, debate football issues and interact with fellow fans. The events will be held at selected venues across Kampala, with more locations expected to be announced.
The initiative is also part of Coca-Cola’s broader Youth Voices programme, which seeks to place young people at the centre of activities promoting creativity, self-expression and community engagement.
Wycliff Tugume, popularly known as Ykee Benda, who owns FanBench, said the partnership would help expand the platform’s reach and create more opportunities for football supporters.
“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,” Tugume said.
He said the partnership would help develop FanBench into a platform with international potential while giving football supporters a stronger voice.
FanBench is a Ugandan football culture and sports entertainment platform that uses digital content, influencers and events to engage football supporters.
Under the partnership, it will coordinate the Bench Fridays activities, manage fan engagement and promote conversations across digital platforms ahead of the December 20 finale.
