Pepsi is giving away thousands of free 12-packs as the company kicks off its latest promotion for the start of football season.
The giveaway arrives alongside the return of Pepsi’s Tailgating Deserves Pepsi campaign, which is rolling out for the 2026 NFL season with a new series of ads featuring Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis and Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson.
Fans in the US have a limited window to claim the free soda, with Pepsi offering up to 5,000 12-packs before the promotion comes to an end.
How to get a free Pepsi Zero Sugar 12-pack
From September 9 through September 14, fans can redeem a digital offer for one free 12-pack of Pepsi Zero Sugar at participating retailers across the US.
The offer covers one 12-pack of 12-ounce cans, although taxes and deposits are not included. Pepsi says the promotion will end on September 14 or once 5,000 redemptions have been claimed, whichever happens first.
That means anyone looking to take advantage of the deal could have less than six days to do so if all 5,000 offers are redeemed early.
PepsiThe giveaway coincides with Pepsi’s latest football campaign starring Bettis as a “gameday ref” who throws a flag when popular football foods are served without Pepsi.
In the first ad, Bettis calls out a burger being served without the soda before Jefferson steps in with an assist. Pepsi says two additional ads set inside a fan’s home and a grocery store aisle will debut during the NFL season.
“I know a great gameday setup when I see one,” Bettis said. “Great food, great football and Pepsi belong together. This season, I’m calling it like I see it. Tailgating Deserves Pepsi, and I’m here to make sure fans are ready for kickoff.”
The campaign comes during Pepsi’s 26th season working with the NFL. The brand currently has partnerships with 15 NFL teams, including the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers and the recently added Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Pepsi isn’t the only PepsiCo brand using sports to give away free drinks this year.
Mountain Dew Baja Blast ran its own promotion during baseball season, giving fans a free drink whenever a player hits a home run measuring at least 420 feet. Fans can claim up to five free Baja Blasts throughout the regular season, with the giveaway running through September 27 or until 500,000 bottles have been redeemed.
I’m Abhishek Sharma, an author at TigerJek.com. I enjoy exploring games, testing different strategies, and turning what I learn into clear, useful guides. My goal is to help players understand the game better and improve without the usual confusion.
