Copa Coca-Cola Gives Teens the Soccer Opportunity of a Lifetime

National Soccer Tournament Will Get Teens Active In the Spirit of This Year’s FIFA World Cup; Limited-Time Registration Now Open

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- As World Cup fever grips soccer fans across the globe, Coca-Cola is giving young players the opportunity of a lifetime: the chance to win a trip to the Copa Coca-Cola® Soccer Camp in Brazil during the 2014 FIFA World Cup™.

Copa Coca-Cola is an international youth soccer tournament played in 60 countries around the world. The tournament, taking place in the U.S. starting February 22, will allow more than 4,000 teens between the ages of 13 and 15 to get active and take part in the excitement leading up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup™. Four players from the national championship teams (two boys and two girls) will have the opportunity to participate in the Copa Coca-Cola Soccer Camp in Brazil, a unique experience with more than 150 other young players from around the world, all Copa Coca-Cola participants of their country’s national tournament.

“Copa Coca-Cola is more than a game. It is an opportunity for teens to be active while playing the sport they love. We want to keep inspiring teens to lead active healthy lives, form lasting friendships and follow their dreams. Through Copa Coca-Cola participants truly become part of the FIFA World Cup™ fervor. It’s an amazing experience that brings people together from all over the world,” said Alba Adamo, Group Director of Hispanic Marketing at The Coca-Cola Company.

The free tournament is made possible with help from official partners including McDonald’s, Walgreens and the Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG®), the award-winning loyalty program from Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. To participate, teens must sign-up for the tournament as part of a five to seven-player team at www.copa.coca-cola.com starting January 1 through February 16. The first 30 boys’ teams and 30 girls’ teams to register in each participating market will get the opportunity to be part of Copa Coca-Cola.

“I am proud to join Coca-Cola in promoting physical activity through soccer,” said Alex Morgan, U.S. Women’s Soccer Olympic Gold Medalist. “Soccer has had a huge impact on my life and Copa Coca-Cola will allow me to share my love and passion for the game with a whole new generation of players. Coca-Cola is hosting the tournament in the U.S. at the perfect time. The FIFA World Cup™ brings people together through their love of soccer and Copa Coca-Cola only adds to the excitement.”

The tournament’s local phase, which begins February 22, will be held in ten U.S. Cities: San Jose, Los Angeles, Seattle, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Miami, Chicago, Atlanta and New York. The winning teams from each local tournament will travel to Los Angeles to compete in one national tournament April 18 - 20.

The Copa Coca-Cola national final will be a part of weekend-long festivities, including the culmination of the global FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour™ at StubHub Center. In anticipation of the sport’s biggest tournament, Coca-Cola and FIFA have taken the iconic FIFA World Cup Trophy to 88 countries around the world, and are bringing it to its 89th and final destination with stops in four cities across the United States. The Tour has given more than one million people around the world the chance to experience soccer’s most coveted prize in their own communities, getting a taste of the celebration before it heads to Brazil.

For more information about Copa Coca-Cola, including all official rules, please visit www.copa.coca-cola.com.

About The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and recognizable brands, our Company's portfolio features 16 billion-dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of more than 1.8 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.

The Coca-Cola Company
Melina Baetti, 404-676-1533
mbaetti@coca-cola.com
or
Maria Ramirez, 786-522-0170
maria.ramirez@newlink-group.com

Source: The Coca-Cola Company