Dutch Start-Up Koppa Turns Fantasy Football into a Corporate Team-Building Tool – and Attracts the Attention of Global Brands.

Roger Hampel

When global brands such as American Express, AB InBev, PwC, and Volvo Financial Services want to bring their people together, they are increasingly turning to a surprising tool: fantasy football. But not the kind you play casually with friends — this is a fully branded, corporate version designed to boost team spirit, foster connections, and ride the wave of global sporting events.

With this solution came Dutch start-up Koppa. Founded in Amsterdam, the Dutch start-up has developed a white-label fantasy sports platform that companies can brand as their own and activate during major tournaments. From the FIFA World Cup to the UEFA European Championship, competitions once seen purely as distractions are now being repurposed as catalysts for collaboration and team culture.

A Platform Designed for Engagement

Koppa’s white-label solution offers full branding customisation — clients can add logos, colours, banners, and even sponsor integrations. Competitions can be open or restricted to selected participants (e.g., employees with a company email), making the platform suitable both for internal team challenges and public-facing activations.

Key features include:

• Prediction games and fantasy team formats

• Individual and group leaderboards

• Real-time scoring updates during matches

• Detailed match statistics and analytics

• Fully responsive design and an installable mobile web app

A powerful admin dashboard gives organisers control over settings, user management, and communications. API integrations enable seamless syncing with existing systems, ensuring the platform can slot into corporate ecosystems with minimal friction.

Simple to Launch, Scalable for Any Size

Koppa offers tiered pricing packages (Bronze, Silver, Gold) starting at €99 for up to 25 users, with the ability to scale to thousands of participants. For large-scale activations, custom proposals ensure flexibility.

Implementation is fast — within hours, clients receive admin access, configure their game, and invite participants. The platform is available in multiple languages, including English, Dutch, French, Spanish and Italian.

Why Corporates and Sponsors Are Attracted?

Koppa has already been adopted by more than 1,000 companies worldwide, including AB InBev, PwC, American Express, Volvo Financial Services, TUI, Amadeus, and UnifiedPost Group.

For organisations, the value extends well beyond the matches:

• Boosting morale – friendly competition gives employees shared topics beyond work.

• Breaking silos – team modes encourage collaboration across departments.

• Employer branding – a branded game positions companies as modern and people-focused.

• Sponsor visibility – integrated sponsor logos and campaigns transform the platform into a marketing asset.

One client summed it up:

“Thanks to Koppa, we were able to offer an engaging activity that really strengthened our team spirit. The website looked great, worked flawlessly, and gave us exactly the experience we were hoping for.”

Koppa kicks off its FIFA World Cup 2026 journey: LINK

Cooperative Benefits Confirmed by Research

Scientific studies confirm that gamification significantly increases employee engagement, improves atmosphere, and strengthens team spirit.

According to Zippia, 90% of employees say gamification makes them more productive, with average engagement rising by nearly 50% when game mechanisms are introduced.

Employees in gamified environments also report greater satisfaction — 89% feel happier at work, while HR data shows that gamification contributes to loyalty: 69% of employees are willing to stay with a company for over three years when such initiatives are applied.

The Role of Major Sporting Events in the Workplace

Large sporting events measurably shape workplace behaviour. A UKG survey during the FIFA World Cup found that 54% of U.S. employees planned to watch matches live, with nearly half anticipating absence from work as a result.

Globally, similar patterns emerge: before the 2018 World Cup, 28% of employees admitted they would watch matches during working hours, and 92% planned to follow the tournament in some capacity.

This means one in four employees risks being distracted during major tournaments — unless companies provide structured ways to channel this passion.

Fantasy Sports as a Solution

This is where services like Koppa come in. Research by Quantum Workplace revealed a 12% higher engagement rate among employees participating in shared fantasy leagues compared to non-participants. These employees also rated teamwork, trust, and communication more positively.

By turning tournament enthusiasm into structured play, companies not only mitigate distraction but also strengthen organisational culture. Simple initiatives — from running a prediction contest to setting up a fantasy league during the EUROs — send a strong signal: this is a workplace that values people, passions, and fun.

Such initiatives also integrate employees across departments. HR advisors note that cross-department fantasy teams often translate into stronger collaboration at work. In short, shared play builds social capital — improving coordination and team spirit well beyond the matches.

“Playing in the Same Team”

The emotional highs and lows of sport create shared memories. Collective cheering — whether in victory or defeat — strengthens bonds among colleagues. An Onrec report highlights that such shared moments increase engagement, reduce stress, and foster loyalty. Employees feel part of a team not just professionally, but personally — deepening their connection to the workplace.

As Koppa founder Dirk Menkveld explains exclusively for Football Business Journal:

“When something happens around a major tournament in the company, people start talking about it — not just about work. And suddenly you see that it really improves the atmosphere and builds relationships. We’ve seen fantasy football bring out the best in people — it gets them talking, laughing, and connecting. We wanted to take that energy and make it work inside companies, not just among friends. It benefits both employers and employees.”

FIFA World Cup 2026: A New Benchmark

The 2026 FIFA World Cup — with 48 teams, three host nations, and over 100 matches — presents an unprecedented opportunity for corporate engagement. For companies, it represents weeks of sustained interaction, cultural connection, and brand visibility. Dutch Start-Up Koppa Fantasy Football

Koppa is positioning itself to help businesses tap into this global excitement. Whether for internal employee engagement or external campaigns, the platform is designed to scale while keeping the experience engaging and intuitive.

As Dirk Menkveld, Founder of Koppa, concludes:

“Our platform was built for moments like this: fast to launch, scalable to thousands of users, multilingual, and battle-tested during previous tournaments. Whether for boosting morale internally or running customer-facing activations, Koppa helps companies turn football fever into lasting connections.”

Koppa kicks off its FIFA World Cup 2026 journey: LINK