The Coca-Cola Fan Can Be a Bo campaign returns for 2026 — Fans stay with the team, walk the tunnel and experience match day alongside the Springboks (image supplied)
Coca-Cola South Africa is giving fans a rare opportunity to experience match day from inside the Springbok camp as its The Coca-Cola Fan Can Be a Bok campaign returns for the 2026 season.
Winning fans will receive a call-up message from Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus before stepping into a world usually reserved for national team players to experience a full match day with the team.
The Coca-Cola Fan Can Be a Bok campaign returns with refined experiences, new collectable fan cans and unforgettable match-day moments.
Built on Coca-Cola South Africa’s long-standing partnership with the South African Rugby Union (Saru), the campaign celebrates the fans whose passion, rituals, pride and belief have always been part of the Springbok story.
A Once-in-a-lifetime Springbok call-up
Winning fans step inside the world of Springboks and experience life as close as possible to that of a national player.
It begins with a voice note from Springbok Head Coach Rassie Erasmus, officially “calling up” fans to join the squad.
From there, winners and their partner are immersed in the full Springbok match-day journey.
They stay at the team hotel, attend the Captain’s Run and team photo moment, walk through the players’ tunnel and stand pitch-side during the national anthem moments.
Fans will also watch the match alongside Springbok squad members not playing on the day — creating memories typically reserved for elite athletes.
One fan per match day will get to bring a partner for the experience, each winner joining the Springboks during home test matches in 2026, while one winner will travel to France later this year to watch the Springboks in action on tour.
“Springbok rugby is more than a game in South Africa; it’s a shared national feeling,” says Mario I. Garcia, vice president and managing director of Coca-Cola South Africa.
“With the Coca-Cola Fan Can Be a Bok, we’re giving fans the chance to experience the emotion, pride and energy of the team from the inside, while celebrating the role supporters play in every Springbok story.”
A new squad of collectable fan cans
Returning for 2026 is the limited-edition Coca-Cola Fan Can collection — reimagined to celebrate the players and supporters shaping the modern Springbok story.
This year’s collectable range features 20 Springbok players, including 15 men’s national players and, for the first time, five Springbok Women stars — recognising the growing impact and importance of women’s rugby in South Africa.
Each can features the player’s face, name and the date and location of their first Springbok call-up — transforming every can into a tribute to the moment their journey began.
Featured players include Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Babalwa Latsha, Sinazo Mcatshulwa and Lindelwa Gwala, among others.
In August, Coca-Cola will also release a special edition Coach Rassie Erasmus can, celebrating one of the defining figures in South African rugby.
Digital engagement brings fan culture to life
The campaign will also come alive across digital and social platforms through creator-led storytelling and second-screen fan engagement.
South African comedian and entertainer Donovan Goliath has been appointed by Coach Rassie Erasmus as the campaign’s official “Chief Gees Officer,” tasked with calling up a squad of content creators to help bring the campaign to life throughout the rugby season.
Fans can also participate in Shoot Your Shorts an interactive second-screen game focused on the Coca-Cola logo featured on the Springbok team shorts during match broadcasts — giving supporters another way to engage with the campaign in real time while watching the game.
A nationwide fan celebration
Beyond the Be a Bok experience, Coca-Cola will bring fans closer to the action through interactive stadium activations, VIP fan zones, phygital games and digital engagement throughout the season.
The campaign will roll out nationwide across retail, radio, outdoor, digital and social platforms, supported by the Coca-Cola bottling partners, Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa and Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages — turning everyday moments into celebrations of South African rugby culture.
