- contact@uefacoachingacademy.com
The UEFA B is the step from helping out to coaching properly. It is the qualification most clubs mean when they advertise for a “qualified coach”, and it is the level at which coaching starts to look like a career rather than a commitment.
It is also where the gap between UEFA’s rules and your association’s rules gets wide enough to catch people out. UEFA asks for six months of coaching experience before you can start. The Football Association asks for twelve. Both are correct.
The UEFA B Diploma is the second of the four core coaching qualifications. Complete it and you hold a UEFA B license, valid for three years before renewal.
UEFA sets a minimum of 120 hours of course content, double the C. The shift in focus is from running good sessions to developing players over time: understanding what your players need technically, tactically, physically, psychologically and socially, and building a training programme that moves them forward rather than just occupying them.
The B is the level at which most associations begin assessing you against a game model rather than a session plan.
Coaches already working with a team who want to take it seriously — youth coaches moving into performance environments, coaches at senior amateur clubs, and people aiming at academy or semi-professional work.
It is also the practical ceiling for a lot of coaching careers. Plenty of people stop here deliberately, because the B is enough to coach youth and senior amateur football competently and the A demands a level of time commitment that only makes sense if you intend to work in the game full time.
UEFA’s minimum requirements
This is where the B differs sharply from the C, and it is worth seeing side by side. All three of these associations are applying the same UEFA Convention.
| Association | Experience required | Additional conditions |
|---|---|---|
| UEFA minimum | 6 months by course start | — |
| Wales (FAW) | 6 months after graduating with the C, as head or assistant coach | — |
| England (The FA) | 12 months post UEFA C, as head or assistant coach | Must live in England and coach a team in a season-long competition; in-date first aid and safeguarding certificates |
| Lithuania (LFF) | 1 year with the UEFA C, in 8v8 or 11v11 | Entrance exam; fixed annual application window |
UEFA’s minimum is six months by the course start date, but associations set their own. England requires twelve months after the UEFA C. Wales requires six months post-graduation as a head or assistant coach. Check the specific association before assuming you qualify.
Not normally. The C, or a recognized equivalent, is the prerequisite. England accepts the old FA Level 2 or the 1st4sport Level 2 with a conversion course. Some associations operate separate entry routes for former professional players.
In England, £1,250, with an 85% discount available to coaches accepted onto the partially funded places programme, bringing it to £187.50. Other associations set their own fees. Add travel to modules, which is a real cost over an 18-month course.
The course itself runs across a season, but England allows 18 months from the first module to complete assessment. Two paid re-assessment attempts are permitted; beyond that you repurchase the course and start again.
Sometimes, but residency conditions are common — England requires candidates to live in England and coach a team there, because assessors visit. Which associations accept non-residents varies. Tell us where you are based and we will tell you what is realistic.
It is enough for youth football and senior amateur football, and for assistant roles higher up. Head coach positions in professional football generally require the A or the Pro, depending on the competition and country.