KAMPALA, Uganda — The return of the English Premier League has brought football fans together in Kampala, with Coca-Cola Beverages Uganda using the opening weekend to launch a series of fan experiences and watch parties aimed at turning match viewing into a communal event.
The company hosted a major watch party at Millennium Park, Lugogo, on Friday as the 2026/27 Premier League season got underway, bringing together football fans, music performers, DJs and food vendors ahead of the opening match between defending champions Arsenal and newly promoted Coventry City.
Coca-Cola had promoted the event as the “Biggest EPL Watch Party”, offering free entry to fans who purchased a 500ml Coca-Cola for Shs2,000.
The activation continues into Saturday, with Manchester United scheduled to face newly promoted Hull City in the second match of the opening weekend. The match is scheduled for 2:30 pm East African Time at the MKM Stadium.
The first night belonged to Arsenal.
The reigning champions began their title defence with a 3-0 victory over Coventry, with Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and captain Martin Ødegaard scoring for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Coca-Cola Beverages Uganda followed the action closely on its social media platforms, posting updates throughout the match. “Put the word out there!! The English Premier League is back!!” the company posted before kick-off.
By half-time, Arsenal were 2-0 ahead, before Ødegaard added the third shortly after the restart. Arsenal ultimately completed a comfortable 3-0 victory.
The football was only part of the attraction at Lugogo.
Speaking at the launch, Barry Ottieno, Senior Marketing Manager at Coca-Cola Beverages Uganda, said the company’s decision to work around the Premier League was driven by the strength of football culture in Uganda.
“Ugandans love football,” Ottieno said, describing football as an important passion point connecting Coca-Cola with its consumers.
He said the brand had long been part of football-viewing experiences, whether supporters watched matches at home, with friends, at school or in entertainment venues.
The partnership with the Premier League, he added, was intended to build on that relationship by creating experiences where fans could watch matches together while enjoying entertainment and Coca-Cola products.
Friday’s launch featured performances and entertainment alongside the Arsenal-Coventry match, while Saturday’s programme was designed to continue the experience with Manchester United’s visit to Hull City.
Coca-Cola said the Lugogo activation is the beginning of a wider programme of activities planned throughout the Premier League season.
The company is also inviting consumers to participate in a digital challenge linked to its products.
Fans can purchase Coca-Cola, Fanta or Sprite, scan a QR code on the product and register for the challenge. They are then expected to create videos showing how they enjoy football or meals with Coca-Cola and share the content on social media.
According to Ottieno, participants can earn money depending on the engagement and viewership generated by their content, with prizes of up to Shs1 million available each month.
The campaign comes at a time when football viewing in Uganda is increasingly becoming less about the 90 minutes on the pitch and more about the social world built around them: music, food, friends, screens and brands competing for a place inside the ritual.
For Coca-Cola, the calculation is clear. The Premier League already has the audience; the challenge is to turn that audience into an experience — and, eventually, into consumers.
As Arsenal’s 3-0 victory showed on Friday, the football itself can provide the spectacle. The question for the brands is who gets to own everything that happens around it.
