2nd Edition of Copa Coca-Cola Kicks Off

By Joe Dinga Pefok

The 2nd edition of Copa Coca-Cola, a football tournament for secondary schools in Cameroon, was launched in Douala on October 20.

The competition is open to boys within the ages of 13-15 years and is jointly organised by Les Brasseries du Cameroun and Coca-Cola West Africa, in collaboration with the Ministry of Secondary Education, while McCANN-ERICKSON Cameroun, handles the communication and public relations aspects. The competition will run till December 23.

A press release by the organisers of the jamboree in Cameroon states that through the tournament, "Les Brasseries du Cameroun and Coca-Cola wish to contribute to the wellbeing of youths through sports, promote cultural exchanges between teens, and cultivate in them the value of sharing, optimism, self fulfilment, and success".

Another aim of the tournament is to develop a strong relationship between the Coca-Cola brand and youths, with the intention of the former being to also "recruit" new consumers among the youths and also to assist the Government and schools, to promote sports in the school milieu.

Copa Coca-Cola is an international football tournament organised for adolescences across the world by the World's leading soft drink brand, Coca-Coca. The tournament was launched for the very first time in the world in 1999, and this was done simultaneously in three Latin American countries, Mexico, Columbia, and Brazil.

In 2001, Copa Coca-Cola was also launched simultaneously in three European countries, Spain, Norway, and Croatia. Cameroon is one of the lucky African countries chosen in 2005 for launch of the tournament. 

At the launching of the 2007 edition in Douala, Lycée Akwa- Nord, Banamoussadi, football fields were chosen as venue for the colourful ceremony, which was attended by some local administrative and municipal authorities.

In the first two matches which were part of the launching ceremony, Lycée de Makepe drew 0-0 with Institute Polyvalent Nanfah , while Lycée Bilingue de Bonaberi edged Institute Saint Louis by 2-1.   

The ten provinces of the country have been divided into four zones, which have also been sub divided into pools. At the level of the pools it would be on championship basis, while at the zones level that would be comprised of four teams each, encounters would be on a
knock out basis

Zone 1 is comprised of the Buea pool (8 teams), and the Douala pool (32 teams). Each of the two pools will later send in two teams to clash at the level of the zone in Douala to get the champion of the zone. Meanwhile, Zone 11 is comprised of the Bertoua pool (4 teams), Ebolowa pool (4 teams), and the Yaounde pool (32 teams).

The champions of the Bertoua and Ebolowa pools will travel to Yaounde where they will clash with two teams from the Yaounde pools, to get the champion of the zone. A more balanced Zone 111 is made of the Bafoussam pool  (8 teams), and the Bamenda pool (8 teams). Each of the two pools will send in two teams for the finals of the zone, to hold in Bamenda.

As for Zone 1V, it is made up of the Ngaoundere pool (4 teams), Maroua pool (4 teams), and Garoua pool (6 teams). The finals of the zone will hold in Garoua.There would be several trophies and handsome prizes to be won both at the finals of the zones, and the national final.