Coca-Cola Pits Fans Against Football Icons in Premier League Activation

Quick listen: Coca-Cola’s Fantasy football campaign turns fans into weekly challengers. Here’s why it matters in under 2 minutes.

Coca-Cola is taking football banter to a new level. 

Titled “Beat The Icon,” its latest UK campaign puts fans head-to-head with football legends like Rio Ferdinand, Alex Scott, and Mary Earps in weekly Fantasy Premier League challenges.

It's an effort to put itself at the center of football culture, betting big on fandom and competition to fuel engagement.

The campaign runs from September 2 to November 4 and is open to U.K. residents over 18.

"Fans are always debating who knows the game best — and now Coca-Cola is giving them the chance to prove it," said Alex Scott, former player and presenter.

"Beat The Icon is a brilliant way to bring supporters into the action with amazing prizes up for grabs."

To join, fans need to purchase a promotional Coca-Cola can and scan the on-pack QR code.

From there, they can enter weekly matchups against legends and creators, with more than 20,000 rewards, including jerseys and Premier League match tickets.

Javier Meza, president of marketing at Coca-Cola Europe, said the company wanted to create something that tied directly into fans’ passion.

“Going head-to-head with football legends to unlock incredible prizes is a completely unique experience that brings the excitement of the game closer than ever,” he noted.

Overall, Coca-Cola shows once again how leaning into culture while rewarding fans for their loyalty can make for a sound brand marketing strategy.

Icons Set the Rules

Each week, a different icon sets their own Fantasy challenge.

Instead of working with traditional FPL budgets, the icons will choose six Premier League players and assign bonus scoring linked to weekly themes.

It's a twist that ensures the campaign feels fresh, with different challenges and rivalries keeping fans returning.

The lineup features Rio Ferdinand in Gameweek 4, Manny in Gameweek 5, Alex Scott in Gameweek 6, and Mary Earps in Gameweek 7.

It also includes creators like WillNE, Nemzzz, and Tays MCR, closing out the final gameweeks in October and November.

From a tactical perspective, the brand activation is designed for repeat participation.

Fans can enter once per week, but wins are capped at two per prize type, encouraging continued engagement across the campaign period without overloading the reward system.

With its mix of football icons, social creators, and gamified rules, Coca-Cola wants to prove it's not just a sponsor of the Premier League but also an active participant in fan culture.

That distinction could prove vital when brands often struggle to connect directly with supporters.

Our Take: Does Gamification Win Fans?

What makes this campaign interesting to me is how Coca-Cola is using competition to engage the fandom, and not just promote a product. 

The brand is inviting dedicated football fans into the action with a format that feels fresh and social by design.

However, I think the real win here lies in the repeat interactions.

Weekly challenges create a rhythm that keeps fans coming back, which is more powerful than a one-off prize draw.

The featured footballers and creators were just the icing on the cake.

It’s not about overcomplicating the game but about creating enough reason for fans to keep showing up.

In other news, Pepsi Max recently rolled out a creator-first campaign aimed at refreshing its messaging for younger audiences.