If you are just beginning your coaching career in Europe, then having a UEFA coaching license is not only essential but also what will allow you to grow in your coaching career. The UEFA coaching license system represents the gold standard for professional football education, as it operates across more than 50 nations in Europe and manages known leagues, including the UEFA Champions League and many others
For those who are not aware, UEFA, less commonly referred to as the European Football Associations, is the governing body of European football. It’s the sole organisation responsible for managing and organising football competitions, both at the club and international levels, including well-known tournaments such as the European Championship, the UEFA Champions League, the Europa League, and the UEFA Nations League, Across 55 national associations across Europe.
So, how to get a UEFA coaching license? Or perhaps you may also ask How long does it take to complete a UEFA license? These are just a few questions that this guide attempts to answer, along with many others. Here is how you can easily get started with your UEFA Coaching license in 2025.
What are the different types of UEFA Coaching licenses?
For you to be able to get a UEFA coaching license, you must first undergo the various types of UEFA courses (Diplomas) on offer. UEFA usually awards the Coaching license through a coaching convention formed in 1998 and last updated in 2020, whose main aim is to improve the standard of coaching courses, ensure UEFA offers a clear educational pathway for European football coaches, and link education to employment by practising coaching skills in realistic situations and reiterating the importance of developing a pool of skilled coach educators.
There are four UEFA Coaching diplomas with four licences at C, B, A, and Pro levels awarded to everybody who has successfully completed the courses at those levels. The coaching courses first start with enrolling in a C, which is usually the lowest, then progressing to a B, A, and finally, the Pro is the pinnacle of the UEFA coaching license. Here is a quick overview of each one of them:
The UEFA C Diploma
The Entry-level UEFA course is the C diploma, which is aimed at grassroots coaches and provides them with skills to provide a positive developmental experience that enhances players’ enjoyment, knowledge, and skills.
Important topics covered include child safeguarding, basic first aid, and the importance of promoting a healthy, active lifestyle. All these are covered for a minimum of 60 hours of education, 50 of which are spent studying interactive content and 10 of which are spent on practical or working experience.
The UEFA C licence is priced from £650.
The UEFA B Diploma
For you to get the UEFA B Diploma, you must have a valid UEFA C licence and have completed a minimum of six months’ coaching experience by the B diploma course start date.
The whole coursework for the UEFA B course takes a minimum of 120 hours, with 95 hours spent on studying guided interactive content and 25 hours showing and practicing what you have learnt in any Club environment.
The UEFA B license teaches participants to use age—and ability-specific coaching techniques to develop players from youth through senior amateur level. The whole UEFA B license costs between € 1,500 and €3,000.
The UEFA A Diploma
Having a UEFA A Diploma license puts you just one level away from becoming a pro. It is UEFA’s second-highest coaching qualification, allowing participants to be head coaches of youth teams up to age 18 and reserve teams, especially in second-tier clubs.
Starting at anywhere from €4,000-€7,500, a UEFA A Diploma first requires a valid UEFA B licence and at least one year’s experience as a coach in 11-a-side football.
The UEFA A course requires a total of at least 180 hours, with 140 hours spent studying guided interactive content and 40 hours made up of work experience in a club environment. The whole course lasts for a minimum of over six months.
The UEFA Pro Diploma
The UEFA Pro Licence is the highest coaching certification available in Europe and generally follows the completion of C, B, and A courses. An applicant must also have completed at least one year of coaching experience as a head coach at the elite youth or senior amateur level or as an assistant coach in professional football.
Compared to other courses we have discussed, offered by UEFA, the pro diploma has the highest number of hours, with 360 hours of education plus study visits. 140 hours will be spent studying theory and practical units off the pitch, with a minimum of 220 hours, including work experience, spent on the pitch.
The UEFA Pro Diploma itself ranges from €10,000 to €13,700. These licenses allow you to manage a top-tier football club in any European championship league and participate in the top-tier UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League, and the UEFA Conference League.
How to get a UEFA coaching license?
By now, it is clear that getting a UEFA coaching license first starts with enrolling in any of the UEFA diplomas offered. However, you should know that prior to that, it is a requirement for all the candidates to have met the following eligibility criteria:
- You must possess sufficient spoken and written skills in the official course language
- You must meet the organiser’s admission criteria, which should include an aptitude evaluation
- You must submit all admission documents required by the course organiser
- You must have no criminal record for crimes incompatible with the coaching profession
The application process itself is quite easy, so long as you have met the requirements, but they vary from one National association ( Home country) in Europe to another. By the way, before going further, it is important to know that the UEFA coaching license is not offered in the USA; it is only available to individuals in the member countries.
FAQs
How to get a UEFA coaching license?
To get a UEFA coaching license, candidates must meet specific entry requirements set by UEFA and their national football associations. I believe that we have discussed all of these in the article.
How long does it take to complete a UEFA license?
The duration depends on the license level. For the UEFA C License, the course lasts about 6-8 weeks or up to 4-5 months, including practice. The UEFA A License course typically spans 12-16 weeks, while the UEFA Pro License course takes about 18 months to complete.
What do you need to get a UEFA C license?
You must have completed introductory coaching awards or youth/adult coaching certificates. Other prerequisites include safeguarding and first aid courses, relevant playing or coaching experience, and registration with the national association
What is the best UEFA license?
The UEFA Pro Licence because it is required to manage professional, top-tier football clubs and work in elite European competitions like the UEFA Champions League.
