By Mabvuto Kambuwe & Peter Fote:
The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has set Caf A Coaching Licence as the minimum qualification for all coaches and assistants managing teams in its sanctioned competitions.
This comes after, in December last year, the Caf Executive Committee approved new coaching requirements.
A letter dated May 4, 2025, addressed to all Caf member associations (MAs), indicates that the new coaching requirements will apply to all national football team and club coaches.
“As part of our ongoing efforts to elevate the standards of African football, the Caf Executive Committee has, at its meeting on December 16, 2024, approved new coaching requirements that will take immediate effect upon receipt of this circular. These new requirements will apply not only to the Caf Inter-clubs and the Women’s Champions League competitions but also to all national teams of Caf member associations,” the circular reads.
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According to the circular, Caf A Coaching licence or above will be required for head coaches or assistant coaches in men’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers and final phase.
The requirement also applies to the Caf Super Cup, which is competed for by Caf Champions League and Caf Confederation Cup champions.
But Caf has given under-qualified coaches, who are still contracted, a grace period of two years to upgrade their qualifications.
“Coaches with valid contracts who do not possess the required licence, who were contracted before the introduction of the new Caf coaching requirements, will have two football seasons [2025-26 and 2026- 27] to meet the certification requirements.
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“Clubs and national associations intending to hire coaches after the implementation of these coaching requirements must ensure that these coaches meet the specified qualifications outlined in the new requirements,” the letter reads.
Furthermore, underqualified coaches will not be allowed to participate in any official team activities.
Football Association of Malawi (Fam) General Secretary Alfred Gunda insisted that Flames assistant coaches Peter Mponda, Pritchard Mwansa and Peter Mgangira were eligible as they had contracts with the association.
“All the three coaches already signed contracts with Fam for two years as Kalisto Pasuwa [Flames head coach] and assistants for two years before the new regulations were introduced,” Gunda said.
Mponda, Mwansa and Mgangira possess Caf B Coaching licence.
In a related development, Caf has also set, as the minimum qualification, Caf A Coaching licence for Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) qualifiers and final phases for head coaches and Caf B Coaching licence for assistants.
This also applies to head coaches for Men’s Under-17, 20 and 23 teams in Caf Afcon qualifiers and final phases.
For women’s U-17, 20 and 23 Wafcon qualifiers, Caf B-licence is a minimum qualification for head coaches, with Caf C licence being the minimum qualification for assistants.
The new regulations have also affected TNM Super League defending champions Silver Strikers as they will take part in this year’s Caf Champions League.
Silver will be forced to hire a new coach specifically for the tournament as Mgangira does not have a Caf A Coaching licence.
But Mighty Wanderers coach Bob Mpinganjira and his assistant Macdonald Mtetemera are eligible to coach in the Caf Confederation Cup.
Meanwhile, National Football Coaches Association Chairperson Aubrey Nankhuni has hailed the development, saying the move shows that coaches were an important component of the game.
“Good and highly qualified coaches do not only bring good results but also help in the development of the game. We believe that many Caf B coaching licence holders will have a chance to upgrade when Fam holds the Caf coaching course,” Nankhuni said.
