How Coca-Cola turned the FIFA trophy tour into a Malaysian fan experience

When the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola arrived in Malaysia this January, it was never going to be a quiet stopover.

As the sixth edition of the tour kicks off ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, the activation marks two major milestones for the brand, 20 years of the Trophy Tour globally, and 90 years of Coca-Cola’s presence in Malaysia. For Coca-Cola Malaysia, the convergence of these moments created the opportunity to go beyond a standard brand appearance and build a full-scale celebration of football, culture and community.

Held on 21 January at Sunway Pyramid, the Malaysian stop was positioned as an “ultimate football experience”, supported by weeks of build-up across social, music and live activations. From a drone show lighting up the skyline to the dramatic arrival of the trophy on a Coca-Cola-red aircraft, the brand set out to make the event feel as iconic as the prize itself.

According to Chrystian Lim, marketing director for Coca-Cola Singapore and Malaysia, Malaysia’s selection as a Southeast Asian stop was both strategic and emotional. “This was such an incredible opportunity for us, and while the decision was absolutely strategic, it was also driven by genuine excitement about the happiness we could create,” he said.

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Lim added that the timing made the moment especially meaningful. “We’re celebrating our 90th anniversary here, nine decades of shared memories with Malaysians. When you combine that historic milestone with the opportunity to bring the FIFA World Cup Trophy back after 12 years, you have a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Beyond anniversaries, Lim pointed to football’s deep-rooted cultural significance in Malaysia as a driving factor. “Football in Malaysia is more than just a sport. It is the unity, passion and joy that brings people together,” he said. “After 90 years of bringing happiness to the nation, we were now bringing the world’s most coveted prize home to the fans.”

The response on the ground reinforced that belief, with hundreds of fans packing Sunway Pyramid throughout the activation. For Lim, the turnout underscored Coca-Cola’s longstanding relationship with Malaysians across generations. “This was about celebrating the bond between Coca-Cola and Malaysians, a story that transcends generations, from festive gatherings to football matches,” he said.

It was our way of saying thank you to a nation that’s welcomed us for nearly a century.

From global partnership to local passion

Coca-Cola’s partnership with FIFA spans decades, with the brand sponsoring the FIFA World Cup since 1978 and holding exclusive rights to the Trophy Tour. Globally, the tour has reached more than four million fans across 182 markets, offering rare access to football’s most iconic symbol.

Yet Lim emphasised that relevance today comes from bridging global prestige with local presence. “It’s one of the most powerful partnerships in sports, built on the shared value of using the universal language of football to inspire and unite people,” he said. “But here in Malaysia, our commitment extends far beyond just those big global moments.”

Through its partnership with the Malaysian Football League, Coca-Cola maintains a presence at over 200 local matches annually, embedding the brand within grassroots football culture. Lim noted that football has long been part of Coca-Cola’s local DNA, referencing campaigns from the 1990s that became part of everyday vernacular. “Whether it’s a global tournament or a neighbourhood match, football has consistently been our platform to champion optimism and community pride,” he said.

Designing an experience

At the heart of the Malaysian activation was an immersive, multi-zone experience designed to keep fans engaged at every turn. Activities spanned the main entrance, concourse and ice rink areas of Sunway Pyramid, featuring elements such as a Coca-Cola truck, cheer screamer, football games, AI avatar creator, photo booths and a giant bottle centrepiece.

The ice rink served as the focal point, housing the FIFA World Cup Trophy moment, interactive football tunnels, robokeeper challenges and a live concert area. The experience culminated in performances by local stars including Tomok, Siti Nordiana, MK K-Clique, Firdhaus and SonaOne.

For Lim, the goal was to ensure every touchpoint reflected Coca-Cola’s brand values. “We see ourselves as an emotional brand. We’re about bringing happiness, experiences and moments of joy wherever we operate,” he said.

We designed every single touchpoint of this Trophy Tour intentionally, creating a journey where each moment built on the last.

That journey began even before the mall activation. A large-scale drone show at Sunway Pyramid depicted the FIFA World Cup Trophy, Coca-Cola’s iconic bottle and football-inspired visuals, setting the tone for what was to come. The arrival of the trophy itself on a Coca-Cola themed plane was treated as a spectacle, complete with a red-carpet rollout, cultural dancers and fanfare.

“What made this special was that fans got close to one of the most recognised sports symbols in the world,” Lim said, highlighting the rarity of the moment. “This priceless icon made of 18-carat solid gold can only be touched by former World Cup winners and Heads of State. So bringing it here was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Building brand love through lived moments

Extending the campaign beyond physical spaces, Coca-Cola also tapped into music as a unifying force. Partnering with singer Tomok, the brand released an original anthem, Rasa-Rasa Bola, which served as both a rallying cry for the Trophy Tour and a continuation of its collaboration with the Malaysian Football League. “Working with Tomok was a dream,” Lim said. “The creative idea was to capture the raw energy and passion of Malaysian football fans and channel it into an anthem that everyone could share.”

The track, infused with a distinctly Malaysian sound and visuals from local football scenes, quickly gained traction online, with fans creating and sharing their own content around it. Lim noted that this organic adoption was a key marker of success. “When people were singing it, posting videos with it and turning it into part of their own celebrations, that’s when you know you’ve hit the right note,” he said.

The anthem will continue to play a role beyond the Trophy Tour, becoming a recurring soundtrack for Coca-Cola’s football-related initiatives in Malaysia.

While the spectacle at the Sunway Pyramid activation drew crowds, Lim stressed that the deeper objective was connection. He pointed to fans becoming storytellers themselves, sharing experiences across social platforms and extending the campaign’s reach organically. “When people get that genuinely excited, you know you’ve created something meaningful,” he said.

It showed people we’re not just a beverage company. We’re a brand that creates unforgettable moments of happiness and brings communities together.

Looking ahead, Lim sees immersive experiences as central to Coca-Cola’s brand-building strategy. “People don’t just observe your brand, they become part of your brand story,” he said. “When someone says, ‘I was there when Coca-Cola brought the trophy back’, that becomes a lasting memory. That’s where real brand love comes from.”

As Coca-Cola marks 90 years in Malaysia, the Trophy Tour stands as both a celebration of legacy and a signal of what lies ahead. “Ninety years is just the beginning,” Lim said. “This is how we continue to refresh and uplift the nation through the power of togetherness.”

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