SAFA to host the prestigious CAF Pro License course by 2027

Speaking exclusively to SABC Sport, the SAFA TD adds that they will be sending their application to CAF in June this year for ratification.

Steenbok says if they had their way, they would be hosting the new course next year, but the continental football governing body has confirmed 2027 as the year of implementation.

"2027 guaranteed, but I am trying to push a little bit with the CAF football development but mainly pushing based on the work that we have done. So, we've already started now, there's a company that I'm talking to that is preparing the syllabus for the CAF Pro License because you have to understand the CAF Pro License is completely different from the CAF A and CAF B because it's delivered by experts and it's also under the jurisdiction completely of CAF,” Steenbok said.

“So, we have to submit the syllabus, they have to go through it and all of that and check the experts and of course try to align it with what we want in South Africa. Some key areas that we need to push in there are issues of leadership, issues of management and also issues of the national playing philosophy and all of that.

“So, it's quite a delicate process but I'm already on the ground. So, hopefully, by June we'll submit the syllabus to CAF for them to have a look at it but we really want to have it next year.

“Even though CAF have said 2027 is the year that you guys will be able to do that because remember we are only back in the convention in 2024. So, it takes at least two to three years to be able to get a pro license."

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Steenbok says together with the SAFA Head of Coaching Education, they will be heading to Algeria to learn more about the CAF Pro License Course.

"I will be going to Algeria through the invitation of CAF to be able to see how they run their pro license, spend at least three days there and see how are they doing it because we need to always benchmark because football is resting within the global ecosystem,” he added.

“So, it's always to check what other people are doing as you move on. So, I'll be going to Algeria sometime this year together with the head of coaching education to really see what they are doing that side so that we can try to check what best practices we can be able to bring into our pro license."