CAF A License finally returns to SA

By Velile Mnyandu
24th August 2023

The long-awaited return of the CAF A coaching license in South Africa is expected to be part of the important technical matters press conference the South African Football Association (SAFA) has called this morning.

The mother body is expected to launch the SAFA Academy, in honour of the most successful figures in the local game.

The return of the CAF A license, however, will garner a lot of interest, as SAFA have been unable to issue the CAF A and B coaching licenses since 2017 when the Confederation of African Football (CAF) placed a freeze on the coaching licenses while they updated the coaching manuals.

After waiting for six years, this will be music to the ears of the football coaches in the country, especially those who have been waiting for this license to return. SABC Sport understands a CAF A license could be conducted before the end of this year, with the first target being coaches in the professional ranks, especially those who had already been shortlisted.

There are more than 1,000 coaches in South Africa with CAF B licenses who have been waiting for this opportunity to upgrade. SAFA Technical Director Walter Steenbok just two months after he had assumed office in November 2022, attempted to start with a CAF A license to fast-track mainly the professional football coaches who are working in the Premier Soccer League (PSL).

However, he hit a brick wall after learning that the FA was not fully compliant with the CAF Coaching Convention, and this hindered their plans of conducting CAF A and B coaching license courses.

"In terms of CAF B & A licenses, I want to announce that South Africa has no accredited manual for a B & A license. So, that is a process that I'm going to have to start," Steenbok told SABC Sport earlier this year.

This will also come as music to the ears of some PSL coaches, who were not compliant with the CAF club licensing regulations of coaching standards, especially at those clubs campaigning in the CAF inter-cub club tournaments.

To sit on the bench in the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup, a head coach needs to have a CAF A license or a Pro license from a sister Confederation (e.g. UEFA Pro) if the coaching qualification was not done with CAF. An assistant coach must have a CAF B license.

The return of this license could finally see SAFA and thier special member the PSL introducing the long overdue implementation of coaching standards club licensing regulation next season.