Some of the coaches who are pursuing CAF D coaching licenses.
By: Refilwe Sebola
The long-awaited CAF/SAFA D license coaching course in the Mopani region of the South African Football Association (SAFA) is underway at Tivumbeni College in Nkowankowa.
Originally scheduled for July, the course experienced multiple postponements due to various challenges, including the unavailability of facilitators. SAFA Mopani’s usual facilitator, coach Raymond Mdaka, was unable to conduct the course due to his commitment as the national under 20 coach.
However, SAFA Mopani has since appointed a new facilitator, and the course has been in progress since September 7th, scheduled to conclude this weekend to align with the new SAFA coaching regulations announced in December 2023.
The new coaching standard regulations, announced by the football governing body last year, are set to be implemented for all divisions starting from August this year. However, SAFA has not yet clarified whether the rules will be implemented this year or not.
The regulations stipulate that starting from the 2024/2025 season, a coach at the Premier Soccer League level must have a CAF A license, while an assistant coach must hold a CAF B license. Similarly, at the National First Division (NFD) level, the head coach must possess a CAF A license, and assistant coaches must have a CAF B license.
The regulations also extend to the ABC Motsepe League, the Hollywoodbets Regional Leagues, LFAs, and the Hollywoodbets Super League.
Coaches in the ABC Motsepe League, Hollywood Regional League, and Hollywood Women’s Super League are required to have a CAF C license coaching certificate, while coaches in the USSA/Varsity Cup must hold a CAF B License.