COPA Coca-Cola winning teams flown to Ukraine for the Quarter-Final and Final games of Euro Cup 2012

Press release

Published July 4th, 2012 - 10:41 GMT

COPA Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola, the world’s beverage giant, celebrated the victories of the COPA Coca-Cola teams Wuhoosh Afriqia from Qatar, Professional 1 from Oman, and Al Tala’ae from Saudi Arabia with a trip to the quarter-final and final games of the Euro Cup 2012 in Ukraine, courtesy of Coca-Cola. As an official sponsor of the Euro Cup 2012, Coca-Cola ensured that the winners of the first season of COPA Coca-Cola were left with an experience of a lifetime including exclusive access and seating in the stadium, while also being close to their most admirable football stars.

“It gives us great joy to host the winners of the COPA Coca-Cola tournament from Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia at the Euro Cup. We envisioned that this trip would be a great way to reward them and to give them a glimpse of what the COPA Coca-Cola program may lead them to in the future, should they want to continue in the sport,” said Antoine Tayyar, Public Affairs and Communications Director of Coca-Cola Middle East.

Coca-Cola Middle East adopted the concept of COPA Coca-Cola and brought it to the region with the first season taking place in Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Palestine, and Iraq. Coca-Cola plans to spread this initiative across the region by adding new countries from season to season. The COPA Coca-Cola initiative also aims to exemplify the company’s longstanding commitment to active healthy living, while creating opportunities for youth to engage in activities that contribute to their wellbeing.

Originated in Mexico in 1998, the first COPA Coca-Cola football teams were established in Latin America for teenagers aged 13-15. The grassroots program was initiated as part of Coca-Cola’s aim to explore the raw young talents around the world and push them to realize their goals and dreams, especially those related to football. Discovering these talents at an early age enables the COPA Coca-Cola league to further develop the youths’ talents in football and offer them a platform to be recognized by the professional leagues in the future. Today, COPA Coca-Cola has touched the lives of more than 600,000 students through at least 10,000 schools and/or youth club teams in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Background Information

Coca-Cola

The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with nearly 500 sparkling and still brands. Along with Coca-Cola, recognized as the world's most valuable brand, the Company's portfolio includes 12 other billion-dollar brands, including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, and Coca-Cola Zero. It is globally the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffees.

Consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company's beverages at a rate of nearly 1.6 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, The Coca-Cola Company is focused on initiatives that protect the environment, conserve resources and enhance the economic development of the communities where it operates.