Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) is aiming to help retailers cash in on football fever ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 with the launch of a new limited-edition Powerade range inspired by playing styles on the pitch.
The new Powerade FIFA Playstyles range is rolling out nationwide in 500ml bottles and includes two new flavours – Attack, described as a spicy citrus variant with a mild kick, and Defend, a floral citrus option.
The launch comes as Powerade continues to outperform the wider advanced hydration category, with value sales up 25.9 per cent year on year, reinforcing its position as the number two sports drink brand in Great Britain, according to NielsenIQ data.
Designed to create standout in the chiller and tap into growing consumer demand for hydration and functional benefits, the new variants contain a balance of sugar and sodium to support hydration, alongside added vitamin B5 to aid mental focus.
CCEP said the range is intended to encourage shoppers to trade up into more premium sports drinks while driving additional value into the category during a major sporting summer.
The launch is backed by a nationwide on-pack promotion running from 11 May to 5 July across Powerade Mango, Berry and FIFA Playstyles packs. Shoppers can scan QR codes for the chance to win instant prizes including footballs, drawstring bags and Powerade sipper bottles.
The activity also forms part of Powerade’s global FIFA World Cup 2026 Power Your Fate campaign.
Rob Yeomans, Vice-President, Commercial Development at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners GB, said football remained one of the strongest engagement opportunities for retailers.
“Football – and especially the FIFA World Cup – is one of the most powerful cultural moments for shoppers, delivering both mass reach and real commercial impact in store,” he said.
“With the tournament set to be the biggest ever, spanning 48 teams and more than 100 matches and reaching billions of fans globally, it provides a huge platform for retailers to engage shoppers at scale.
“With Playstyles, we’re bringing something genuinely new to the fixture, using bold flavour innovation to tap into that excitement and give shoppers a reason to engage with the category.”
CCEP highlighted football’s broad appeal, noting that the sport reaches close to 80 per cent of the UK population and remains the leading passion point for younger consumers, particularly Gen Z shoppers.
The supplier also pointed to sports drinks being the number one impulse category within soft drinks, underlining the opportunity for convenience retailers to drive incremental sales through match-day and social shopping occasions linked to major tournaments.