Coca-Cola joins Football Australia as World Cup marketing push begins

Coca-Cola has signed a two-year partnership with Football Australia, becoming an official supplier of the CommBank Socceroos and CommBank Matildas as the World Cup marketing cycle begins to build.

The deal gives Coca-Cola rights across Australia’s senior national teams during two major international windows: the FIFA World Cup 2026 and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027.

It is likely to be one of the first of many major brand announcements tied to Australia’s national football teams, as marketers prepare for back-to-back global tournaments featuring the Socceroos and Matildas.

Under the agreement, Coca-Cola will launch two national campaigns. The first will focus on the Socceroos during the 2026 World Cup period, with a second campaign to follow in 2027 around the Matildas and the Women’s World Cup.

The 2026 campaign will launch in-store and online from 10 June, exclusively at Coles, with limited-edition Coca-Cola Classic and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar 10-pack cans featuring Socceroos players Nestory Irankunda, Mathew Ryan, Jordy Bos and Cameron Burgess.

Fans who buy the limited-edition packs during the promotional period will be able to enter through the Coles website for the chance to win prizes including VIP matchday experiences with the Socceroos, signed merchandise and other rewards.

The campaign will run across product, in-store, digital, broadcast and outdoor channels. Coca-Cola’s Kings Cross billboard in Sydney will also be lit up in green and gold from 27 May in support of the Socceroos ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Martin Kugeler, CEO of Football Australia, said the partnership brings together Coca-Cola’s global scale with football’s national reach.

“Football Australia is proud to welcome Coca-Cola as an Official Supplier of our national teams, starting an exciting new chapter with one of the world’s most iconic brands,” Kugeler said.

“This partnership brings together the global scale of Coca-Cola with the passion and reach of football in Australia, creating new opportunities to connect with fans across the country.

“The upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 represents a key moment for the CommBank Socceroos, and the Coca-Cola campaigns will help bring supporters closer to the team through unique and engaging experiences.”

Kugeler said the partnership fits Football Australia’s long-term strategy of aligning with premium brands to grow the game and make football more accessible and attractive to Australians.

SEE MORE: Coca-Cola inks landmark deal with NRL

“We look forward to working closely with Coca-Cola to deliver impactful campaigns that celebrate our players and inspire fans nationwide, as we also build towards the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 with the CommBank Matildas,” he said.

Orlando Rodriguez, managing director of Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, said the partnership extends Coca-Cola’s long-running role in Australian culture.

“For nearly 90 years, Coca-Cola has been part of the fabric of Australian life - bringing people together through shared moments. Partnering with Football Australia reflects our continued commitment to connecting communities through experiences that unite the nation, with the CommBank Socceroos and Matildas at the heart of that,” Rodriguez said.

The partnership comes as the Socceroos prepare for their sixth consecutive FIFA World Cup appearance, while the Matildas continue to build towards the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

For Coca-Cola, the deal gives the brand a strong football platform across men’s and women’s sport, retail, packaging, outdoor and fan experiences during a period when national team football is expected to draw growing attention from sponsors and advertisers.