Africa-Press – Eritrea. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has introduced a new set of coaching requirements for its Member Associations, raising the bar for technical standards across African football.
Under the newly adopted CAF Coaching Convention, the regulations will apply to all CAF Inter-club competitions, the CAF Women’s Champions League, and every National Team under CAF’s jurisdiction.
CAF has made it clear that coaches who do not possess the required certification must comply immediately with the new licensing standards.
However, there is a transitional window for some.
Coaches with valid contracts signed before the introduction of the new requirements have been granted a two-season grace period — covering the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 campaigns — to obtain the necessary licence.
In contrast, any newly appointed coach must meet the qualification criteria at the time of hiring. CAF emphasized that no grace period will apply to fresh appointments.
In a significant move to promote gender inclusion, CAF has mandated that in women’s competitions — including the CAF Women’s Champions League — either the Head Coach or Assistant Coach must be a woman.
The directive is expected to strengthen female participation in technical roles and align African football with global development standards.
CAF warned that failure to adhere to the new regulations will attract strict sanctions.
These include denial of stadium access to restricted areas (Zones 1 and 2), non-registration as official team personnel, exclusion from official team activities, and potential additional sporting penalties.
Severe cases could also be referred to CAF’s Judicial Bodies for further disciplinary action.
The continent’s highest coaching certification, the CAF Pro Coaching Licence, will be organized directly by CAF, ensuring centralized oversight and uniform standards.
The new policy signals CAF’s determination to professionalize coaching structures across Africa and elevate the quality of football development at both club and national team levels.
