Coach Education
Chairing the AFC Coach Education Panel’s first meeting of the 2026/27 term, AFC Technical Director Andy Roxburgh confirmed that two key developments are set to take place: updates to the AFC Coaching Convention’s Regulations & Guidelines and the introduction of the Coach Educators’ Club Initiative.
Fourteen of Asia’s foremost coaching experts, along with two AFC Advisors and a FIFA Technical Consultant, attended the virtual event, which set the stage for a new cycle aimed at refining coaching standards, strengthening collaboration, and further advancing the long‑term technical objectives of the Confederation.
The first major topic was the project of producing a new edition of the AFC Coaching Convention Regulations and Guidelines, which is the framework that guides Member Associations (MAs) in implementing coach education programmes that includes the issuance of the AFC B, A and Pro diploma and coaching licenses through the Convention, which was introduced in 2017.
Four aspects, namely The Futsal Coach, The Fitness Coach, The Development Coach and The Assessment Process, are potential additions and dedicated working groups will be formed to research and implement the changes in time for a targeted release in May 2027.
The Panel also provided a status update of the number of endorsed MAs under the Convention, which currently stands at 43 – 25 at Pro level, 13 at A level and five at B level.
The meeting then introduced the AFC Coach Educators’ Club, a new initiative that seeks to foster closer collaboration and knowledge‑sharing among coach educators. Membership will be by annual invitation and open to Technical Directors, Coach Education Directors, and three nominated tutors from each of the 47 MAs, along with AFC Technical Committee and Panel members. Participants will gain access to AFC online sessions, technical publications, development updates, and a continental network of peers. This reinforces the AFC’s belief that while teams compete on the field, collective learning off the field remains essential to lifting coaching standards across the region.
Updates from a coordination meeting with FIFA in February this year were provided, with a similar event with UEFA set to take place later in 2026. The Panel also further examined proposed guidelines for the D Certificate, which has been designed to provide an accessible pathway for those entering coaching, particularly parents, students, and volunteers working with young children. This provides a platform to progress toward higher‑level AFC qualifications, while at the same time supports MAs in expanding their grassroots coaching base.
“I'd like to propose to you here that our guiding principle of AFC coach education is realising the potential of aspiring coaches through progressive—and that's a key word—coach education and supporting frontline technicians with their continuous professional development,” Roxburgh concluded. “We want to help up-and-coming young coaches by giving them the best progressive coach education we can give them, and at the same time, we want to support those who are already in the job with their continuous professional development.”
Related News
- Coach Education
AFC Coach Education Tutors Course 2025 to strengthen coaching standards
- Coach Education
AFC Fitness Coaching Tutors Online Session 2025 explores fitness innovations in the modern game
- Coach Education
Spotlight on goalkeeping trends at AFC Coach Education Online Session 2025
- Coach Education
Landmark AFC–JFA Women’s Pro Diploma Course concludes in Osaka
- Coach Education
AFC Coach Education Panel meeting focuses on future pathway for success
Item 1 of 5