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Alongside the four core licences, UEFA endorses a set of specialist qualifications for coaches who work in a specific part of the game rather than across all of it.
Most of them sit alongside the core pathway rather than above it. You do not progress from a UEFA B to a Goalkeeper A the way you progress from a B to an A — you branch. And almost all of them require a core licence before you can start.
The complicating factor, and the reason this page exists, is availability. The specialist diplomas exist across European football on paper. Whether the one you want is delivered by an association you can actually apply to is a separate question, and for the newest qualifications the answer is frequently no.
Three things to understand before the detail:
They branch from the core pathway, they do not replace it. A goalkeeper coach still needs a UEFA C or B first, depending on the level. A youth specialist still needs a UEFA B.
They are UEFA-endorsed and carry the same recognition. A Goalkeeper A earned in one member association is recognized in others, exactly like a core licence, and carries the same three-year validity and renewal cycle.
They are not lesser qualifications. The Elite Youth A and Goalkeeper A sit at a comparable level of demand to the UEFA A, and several require it.
| Diploma | You must already hold | Minimum hours |
|---|---|---|
| Youth B | Valid UEFA B licence | 60 |
| Elite Youth A | Valid Youth B plus 1 year's experience after gaining it, or a valid UEFA A licence | 120 |
| Goalkeeper B | Valid UEFA C licence, or a national goalkeeper certificate plus the relevant UEFA C modules | 60 |
| Goalkeeper A | Valid UEFA B licence, plus a valid Goalkeeper B where the host nation requires it | 120 |
| Futsal C | Added in the 2025 Convention revision — requirements set per association | Not yet published |
| Futsal B | Valid UEFA C licence, or a valid national futsal qualification | 120, of which at least 74 on the pitch |
| Futsal A | Added in the 2025 Convention revision — requirements set per association | Not yet published |
| Fitness B | Added in the 2025 Convention revision — varies substantially, see below | Not yet published |
| Fitness A | Added in the 2025 Convention revision — varies substantially, see below | Not yet published |
Almost always. Youth B and Goalkeeper A require a UEFA B; Goalkeeper B and Futsal B require a UEFA C or a recognized national equivalent. The main exception is England’s Fitness B, where seven or more years as a full-time fitness coach removes the UEFA C requirement.
They are different qualifications at a comparable level of demand. Goalkeeper A requires a valid UEFA B and, in many associations, a Goalkeeper B as well. It does not substitute for the UEFA A if a role specifically requires the core licence.
It depends on the association. UEFA requires a valid Goalkeeper B only where the delivering association requires it. Lithuania, for instance, requires the Goalkeeper B plus a year’s experience with it, and admits by entrance exam.
In England, the full qualification launches in 2027 following a 2026 pilot, with applications opening closer to launch. Availability elsewhere varies — a small number of associations, Scotland among them, were selected to pilot the qualification earlier.
Both were added in the 2025 Convention revision and are rolling out association by association. Futsal B remains the most widely delivered futsal qualification. Availability of the new levels depends entirely on where you are.
Yes, on the same basis as core licences. A UEFA-endorsed licence is issued for three years and requires renewal, with continuing professional development conditions set by the issuing association.