The UEFA/FFA Pro licence course is the highest level of the mainstream coach education pathway. It is intended for experienced coaches preparing to take on the role of head coach of a professional team or to enhance their ability to work at that level.
The course develops the ability to shape a team’s playing approach, manage training and competition, coordinate the coaching staff and make well-founded decisions in a highly demanding competitive environment.
The course aims to develop the coach’s ability to take full responsibility for a team’s preparation, development and competitive performance in professional football.
Participants strengthen their ability to put their coaching philosophy into practice, plan the team’s work around a game model, draw conclusions from match and training analysis, and use them to inform decisions. Leadership, professional collaboration, and the continuous evaluation and improvement of one’s own practice are also emphasised.
The course content covers four interrelated areas: “The Professional Coach”, “The Player and Team”, “The Training Environment” and “The Match”.
The head coach’s role and responsibilities in professional football; leadership; and coordination of the coaching and multidisciplinary staff. Contributing to the development and implementation of the club’s football philosophy and technical policy, and working effectively with club management. Emphasis is placed on professional ethics, well-founded decision-making under pressure, critical reflection on one’s own practice, and professional communication with the media, agents and supporters.
Planning and supporting players’ individual development; involving them in setting their own goals and assessing progress; and integrating young players into a professional team. Building the team, clarifying roles, and developing cohesion and motivation. Emphasis is placed on players’ physical and psychological readiness, well-being, and sustained progress under high competitive demands, through collaboration between coaching, medical and other specialists.
Planning and periodisation of the training process, taking account of the competition calendar, players’ individual needs and team objectives. Designing, delivering and evaluating individual and team training sessions in line with the team’s game model and the club’s football philosophy. Managing training load and recovery, and integrating physical and psychological preparation into the overall training process, including work during congested fixture schedules. Emphasis is placed on coordinated collaboration between specialists and on creating a training environment that combines high expectations with support for player development.
Preparing and managing the team in professional matches; developing a match plan based on the team’s game model, the capabilities of its players and the opposition’s characteristics. Assessing the course of the game, making tactical adjustments and taking decisions under pressure. Using match analysis jointly with the coaching staff to evaluate team and individual player performance, review coaching decisions and plan subsequent training.
The course is delivered in a modular format and lasts at least 12 months.
Learning combines theoretical study, on-pitch practical sessions, individual and group work, analysis of matches and training sessions, and assignments completed in participants’ own coaching environments. Participants present their work, discuss coaching decisions and receive professional feedback.
Study visits are an integral part of the course, providing opportunities to learn from international football practice and to observe and analyse high-level matches and coaching. The number, destinations, dates and programme of these visits are determined for each course in line with its learning objectives and organisational arrangements.
Participation in all learning components of the course is compulsory. The procedures governing absences and the completion of missed learning activities are set out in the course participation terms.
Formative assessment supports and monitors participants’ progress throughout the course through practical work, individual and group assignments, match and training analysis, and presentations.
Assessment focuses on the coach’s ability to present and justify a game model, plan and manage the team’s training and competition processes, translate analytical findings into practical decisions, ensure professional collaboration, and evaluate the effectiveness of their own work.
Summative assessment, including final examinations, takes place at the end of the course and also assesses knowledge of the Laws of the Game and the ability to analyse the team’s own play and that of the opposition. Practical assessment includes delivering a training session with the participant’s own team based on match analysis, and managing the team or assisting the head coach during a match.
The full assessment requirements, criteria and procedures are communicated to participants at the start of the course.
The course is intended for experienced coaches who wish to work as head coaches in professional football and are ready to assume full responsibility for leading the team and coaching staff.
To be admitted to the UEFA/FFA Pro diploma course, applicants must hold a valid UEFA A Licence and have gained at least one year’s experience after obtaining it as head coach of a youth national team at U17 level or above, as head or assistant coach of a team in the Armenian First League, or as assistant coach of a team in the Armenian Premier League.
Applicants must have sufficient spoken and written command of the official language of the course.
Applicants must either be coaching a team at an appropriate level and be able to complete the course’s practical assignments with that team, or confirm that they will have access to a team at an appropriate level to undertake the required practical work during the course.
Admission follows the selection procedure established by the FFA.
In addition to coaching experience, selection assesses applicants’ readiness to assume the responsibilities of a head coach in professional football, their ability to justify their coaching philosophy and game model, coordinate the coaching staff, make decisions under pressure and critically reflect on their own practice. Professional goals and progress on previous coach education courses are also considered.
Selection may include professional assignments, a presentation of practical coaching work and an individual interview. The materials required for admission and the specific selection criteria and procedures are set out in the admission announcement for the course concerned.
To apply, complete the online application form available in the admission announcement for the course concerned and attach the required documents and materials.
The final list of required documents and materials is provided in the admission announcement for the course concerned.
The fee for the UEFA/FFA Pro diploma course is AMD 5,000,000, inclusive of taxes and other mandatory charges.
The fee is payable in three instalments. Payment deadlines and terms are set out in the admission announcement for the course concerned.
Participants who fulfil the course requirements and successfully complete the assessments are awarded a UEFA/FFA Pro Diploma and the corresponding coaching licence.
The Pro level is the highest stage of the mainstream coach education pathway. Further professional development continues through further education courses, professional seminars, exchanges of experience and independent learning, while meeting the requirements for maintaining licence validity.
The admission announcement is published on the FFA’s official website and social media channels. It provides the application deadlines, admission requirements, selection procedure, payment terms and other organisational details.
