Coach education: UEFA Share in Malta, nurturing the project of a fitness coaching course in San Marino in the near future

In Malta the UEFA Share Fitness for Football seminar was held, focusing on the role of the fitness coach in football. Three days of exchange and sharing brought together two representatives from each of the 14 member associations invited by UEFA: the heads of their respective Coach Education Departments and those responsible for Performance and Fitness. Alongside hosts Malta, the football associations of Scotland, Russia, Belarus, Georgia, Israel, Albania, Kosovo, Cyprus, Greece, Andorra, Azerbaijan, Italy and San Marino were represented. Four UEFA experts led the activities, aiming to further raise participants’ awareness of the importance of this role in the modern game and, above all, of the pathway required to implement the future "UEFA Fitness Diploma" course. As things stand, the role of the fitness coach is not yet included in the Coaching Convention, but it is very likely to be part of the next revision of the document, scheduled for 2025. For this reason UEFA has called the attention of its member associations to prepare the steps that will lead to the implementation of the relevant courses, integrating them into their national coach education offer. A wide range of activities were carried out over the three days on the Mediterranean island: theoretical and practical sessions, group work, on‑field sessions, complemented by watching the UEFA Women’s Nations League match between Malta and Slovakia, which enabled the hosts to qualify for the next stage – for the first time in the history of Maltese women’s football. For the San Marino FA, Carlo Chiarabini (Director of the Coach Education Department) and Andrea Benvenuti (Head of Performance and Fitness) outlined the situation in the San Marino landscape, which currently features close cooperation with the FIGC, but is aiming to move towards organising a B‑level course in San Marino. This will, of course, go hand in hand with strengthening the excellent and fruitful cooperation already in place with neighbouring Italy. UEFA appreciated the vision of San Marino to such an extent that in the coming months relations will be intensified to jointly draw up the roadmap clearly setting out the steps that will lead – presumably in the 2025/2026 season – to the organisation of the first official course in this field. The seminar in Malta proved rich and productive, allowing for in‑depth exploration of multiple topics and the resolution of doubts and uncertainties. Once again, the return home is marked by a series of inputs and stimulating ideas that will fuel the ongoing work to improve the federation’s coach education structure and the professional roles operating within our football system. In the meantime, the UEFA B coaching course has been launched, which enables successful candidates to take charge of teams in all youth competitions as well as first teams in the San Marino league. The licence is valid internationally and recognised by all UEFA member associations, in line with the 2020 Coaching Convention. A dedicated Commission will be appointed to decide on the admission of candidates and to draw up a ranking list. Applications for enrolment must be submitted to the Federal Secretariat by 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday 16 January 2024, written on plain paper and accompanied by a series of documents listed in Circular No. 3 of the Coach Education Department (click here). All further information on the matter can be found in the same documentation.­

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