FA coaching badges are the way to go if you’re looking to become a qualified football coach. The FA provide a series of courses that deliver the guidance and knowledge to transition from an average football fan to a qualified football coach.

In short, FA coaching badges are the qualifications to become a qualified coach in the UK. The badges currently go from Level 1 to The FA UEFA Pro Licence. However, to become a coach at the elite level, just like most professions, you will need to gain the qualifications.

To give a more in-depth view into the football coaching qualifications we have answered the following questions:

How Does the FA Coaching Badges System Work?

The coaching pathway is simply a level-based progression where an individual learns the ins and outs of football coaching. Overall, the courses cover the different ways that players learn and develop, to pitch coaching at the right level for different players.

The FA want to ensure a continuous culture within football coaching. Above all, they propose that all aspiring coaches should learn about their Long-Term Player Development programme. Furthermore, coaches should understand how they should be addressing the ‘four corners’ of a player’s development: technical, physical, social and psychological.

Level 1 is an entry level course open to anyone over 16, meaning you need no prior experience to enter. While The FA say Level 3 course is for “Coaches working with a team of U-14s upwards in an 11 vs. 11 format.”

Whereas with level 4+ you can work as a manager/coach in the professional game, or Academy Manager.

How Do I Acquire My Football Coaching Badges?

The Football Association runs courses for aspiring coaches at all levels – the first two of which are offered by county FA’s in local venues.

FA Level 1 & Level 2 in Coaching Football courses are administrated by your County FA.

To find your nearest County FA click here.

County FA’s are responsible for setting their own prices, venues and start dates. As a result, depending on which County FA you choose, the process of becoming a football coach can vary slightly because of the different variants involved. Similarly, the ability to book alone is something available via all County FAs.

The new UEFA B Licence will be launched at your County FA from August 2017. To book onto one of these courses, contact your local County FA.

Above all, the pathway to becoming a football coach is quite straight forward. Meaning that as long as you continue to progress along the way, gaining the necessary qualifications and experience, there should be little to no hiccups in your journey.

For example, let’s say you pay to take the FA Level 1 course. Once you’ve passed this level, you are allowed to pay again to take the FA Level 2 course. Once you’ve passed Level 2, you are then required to work or volunteer for a club to gain valuable experience which will enable you to progress up the coaching ladder further.

How Many FA Coaching Badges Are There?

There are 5 levels to becoming a football coach. The core coaching courses consist of:

  • FA Level 1 in Coaching Football
  • The FA Level 2 in Coaching Football
  • FA Level 3 (UEFA B) in Coaching Football
  • The FA Level 4 (UEFA A) in Coaching Football
  • FA Level 5 (UEFA Pro) in Coaching Football

There were also youth coaching courses:

  • The FA Youth Award Module 3
  • FA Youth Award Assessment
  • The FA Advanced Youth Award

However, in April 2016, The FA announced they were going to revise the coaching pathway to “modernise the first steps of The FA’s coaching pathway.” As a result, the changes apply mostly to the FA Level 1 and Level 2 courses.

To provide clarity to the coaching pathway available for coaches, The FA has recently revised all their coach education programmes to integrate the traditional coaching pathway (Level 1,2, 3 etc.) and the relatively new youth coaching pathway (Youth Modules 1,2&3).

How much do FA football coaching badges cost?

The cost of the FA football coaching badges is subject to the County FA you decide to take the course with but the average for each is around:

Level 1 – £150

Level 2 – £320

UEFA B – £720

UEFA A – £3000

There has been a lot of talk about the cost of FA coaching badges in the UK compared to other countries. Essentially, an aspiring coach would have to pay over £4000 if they went this route up the coaching ladder. However, many coaches seek financial support from their clubs to subsidise costs. Often counties can also discount their prices, making the entire process more affordable for everybody.

If you’re looking to become a coach, we can help! Here at Discount Football Kits, we have an wide range of training accessories available to purchase, to help improve your training sessions. Check out our accessories here!

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