UEFA B Licence
The UEFA B Licence represents a defining moment in your coaching career. This is the qualification that bridges the gap between grassroots volunteering and professional football coaching. It’s the minimum requirement for working in EPPP academies, the standard expected at semi-professional clubs, and the foundation upon which elite coaching careers are built.
As a UEFA B Licence holder, you’ll be equipped to provide players and teams—from youth to senior amateur level—with positive experiences that genuinely enhance their performance through knowledge and skill acquisition. You’ll develop a clear methodology for what and how to teach, manage all aspects of individual and team performance, and work effectively alongside support staff in structured football environments.
This isn’t just another coaching badge. The UEFA B Licence transforms how you think about player development, session design, and match preparation. It’s where serious coaching careers begin.
The UEFA B Diploma is built around four interconnected pillars, each requiring a minimum of 20 hours of reality-based education. This comprehensive structure ensures you develop advanced competencies across all aspects of coaching at the amateur-to-elite transition level.
The UEFA B Licence develops your identity as a coach operating between grassroots and elite environments. You’ll refine your coaching philosophy and master the art of teaching football effectively.
Philosophy, Values and Beliefs:
Teaching Methodology: The Art of Coaching:
At UEFA B level, you move beyond basic player development to truly understanding individuals within team structures, creating optimal environments, and managing the physical, psychological, and social aspects of player welfare.
Know the Player and Environment:
Physical Development:
Psychological Development:
Social Development:
Care and Welfare:
The Training pillar is where UEFA B coaches truly distinguish themselves. You’ll learn to design sessions that challenge players appropriately, create optimal learning environments, and use analysis to drive continuous improvement.
Training Session Design and Content:
Planning, Delivering and Reviewing:
Motivational and Learning Climate:
The Match pillar develops your ability to prepare teams effectively, manage performance on matchday, and use analysis to drive improvement—skills essential for coaching at any level above grassroots.
Players:
Match Environment:
Playing Formats:
The UEFA B Diploma requires a minimum of 120 hours of education—double the UEFA C Licence—reflecting the significant step up in content and competency requirements.
| Component | Minimum Hours |
|---|---|
| Guided interactive content (not including self-study) | 95 hours |
| Work experience in club environment | 25 hours |
| Theory and practical units off the pitch | 60 hours |
| Practical units on the pitch (including work experience) | 60 hours |
| Total minimum reality-based education | 120 hours |
In the UK, the course typically runs over 6-12 months and includes:
Each pillar (Coach, Player & Environment, Training, Match) requires at least 20 hours of reality-based education, ensuring comprehensive development across all coaching competencies.
Assessment at UEFA B level is rigorous, requiring you to demonstrate competence in both theory and practical application across all four pillars.
You must understand and be able to explain:
Coach:
Player and Environment:
Training:
Match:
You must demonstrate ability to apply these principles through observed coaching sessions where you’ll be assessed on:
Throughout the course, you’ll maintain a detailed coaching logbook documenting:
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Duration | 6-12 months (120+ hours total) |
| Cost | £1,200 full price |
| Funded Price | From £180 (85% funding available) |
| PFA Member Rate | £375 |
| Minimum Age | 18 years |
| Prerequisites | UEFA C Licence + 12 months coaching experience post-C |
| Active Coaching Requirement | Must be coaching players aged 12+ in season-long competition |
| Additional Requirements | Valid Safeguarding Children, Introduction to First Aid in Football |
| Validity | 3 years (renewable with CPD) |
| Delivery | Blended: 12 workshops + 8 practical days + in-situ support |
The UEFA B Licence is designed for coaches working at the transition point between grassroots and elite football. You’ll be coaching players from youth through to senior amateur level.
This course is ideal if you’re:
You should apply if you:
You don’t need to have played professionally. The UEFA B Licence pathway is based on coaching competence, not playing history. What matters is your dedication to developing as a coach and your ability to demonstrate practical coaching skills.
The UEFA B Licence is transformative for your coaching career. It’s the minimum standard expected for professional football environments and opens doors that simply aren’t available to C Licence holders.
Roles you can take on:
Earning potential:
| Role | Typical Salary Range |
|---|---|
| Academy Foundation Coach | £22,000 – £32,000 |
| Academy Youth Development Coach | £28,000 – £40,000 |
| Semi-Pro Club Head Coach | £15,000 – £30,000 |
| Community Trust Coach | £20,000 – £28,000 |
| Private coaching/sessions | £25 – £50 per hour |
The UEFA B Licence is the gateway qualification. Without it, you cannot work in EPPP academies regardless of your experience or playing background. With it, you’re qualified for the majority of paid coaching positions in English football below first-team professional level.
Progression pathway:
After holding your UEFA B Licence for at least 12 months and gaining appropriate experience, you can apply for the UEFA A Licence—the highest practical coaching qualification and the stepping stone to the UEFA Pro Licence.
The £1,200 course fee is a significant investment, but multiple funding options can substantially reduce what you pay.
England Football Learning offers substantial funding for coaches from underrepresented groups:
With partial funding, you pay just £180 instead of £1,200.
Applications for 2025/26 funded places open each season. You must complete both a funding eligibility form and a course application form to be considered.
If you’re a Professional Footballers’ Association member (current or former professional player), you can access the UEFA B Licence at a reduced rate of £375.
Many professional clubs and academy programmes will sponsor staff to complete their UEFA B Licence. If you’re working in a football environment, speak to your club about development funding.
For a complete breakdown of costs across all qualification levels, visit our Costs and Funding page.
Understanding the step up from C to B is crucial for knowing whether you’re ready.
| Aspect | UEFA C Licence | UEFA B Licence |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Grassroots players of all ages/abilities | Youth to senior amateur, transitioning toward elite |
| Hours | 60 minimum | 120 minimum (double) |
| Duration | 16-20 weeks | 6-12 months |
| Cost | £650 | £1,200 |
| Sessions to deliver | Work experience | Minimum 18 assessed sessions |
| Pillars | Grassroots Coach, Environment, Player, Game | Coach, Player & Environment, Training, Match |
| Player profiling | Basic understanding | Design profiling and assessment systems |
| Match analysis | Basic game management | Various analysis systems, performance evaluation |
| Physical training | Fitness awareness | Integrated training plans, load monitoring, injury prevention |
| Career access | Grassroots, schools, community | EPPP academies, semi-pro, assistant roles |
The UEFA B Licence isn’t simply “more content”—it represents a fundamental shift in how you approach coaching. You move from creating positive experiences to actively enhancing performance through systematic development.
You must hold a valid UEFA C Licence (or FA Level 2 in Coaching Football) and have completed at least 12 months of coaching experience since gaining that qualification. You need valid Safeguarding Children and Introduction to First Aid in Football certificates. You must be at least 18 years old, living in England, and actively coaching players aged 12 or above in a season-long competition. Your team must train regularly and play organised or competitive fixtures.
The course runs over 6-12 months and involves a minimum of 120 hours of education. This includes 12 workshops (online and face-to-face), at least 8 days of practical face-to-face training, in-situ support visits, and delivering a minimum of 18 coaching sessions with your own team. The extended timeframe allows for spaced learning and genuine application of concepts.
The full price is £1,200. With partial funding (85% discount), eligible coaches pay just £180. PFA members can access the course for £375. Some employers sponsor staff through the qualification. Visit our {Costs and Funding page} for complete details and to check your funding eligibility.
The UEFA B Licence qualifies you to coach youth teams up to age 16, work in EPPP academies at all category levels, take head coach positions at amateur and semi-professional clubs, serve as an assistant coach at professional clubs, and work in football development roles. It’s the minimum requirement for academy coaching under EPPP regulations.
Yes. The UEFA B Licence (also called UEFA B Diploma) replaced the FA Level 3 Award in Coaching Football. If you hold the old Level 3, it remains valid. The UEFA B follows the same pathway position but aligns with UEFA’s international coaching convention standards and includes updated content around player profiling, analysis, and integrated physical development.
Yes. The UEFA B Licence focuses on developing players within team structures and understanding playing positions—content that’s most relevant to older age groups playing in recognised formations. You need to be coaching players aged 12 or above, or working in a boys’ or girls’ professional academy environment, to complete the practical requirements and assessments effectively.
You must deliver a minimum of 18 coaching sessions during the UEFA B course. These sessions must cover technical/tactical development, physical development, psychological development, and individual/unit/team analysis. You’ll be observed during in-situ visits and must demonstrate competence across all four pillars of the course.
The UEFA B Licence prepares you to work between grassroots and elite levels, coaching youth through to senior amateur players. The UEFA A Licence is the highest practical coaching qualification, focusing on elite player development and advanced tactical coaching in 11v11 environments. The A Licence is delivered residentially at St George’s Park and prepares coaches for professional first-team and elite youth environments. You need to hold your B Licence for at least 12 months before applying for the A Licence.
Absolutely. The UEFA coaching pathway is based on coaching competence, not playing background. Many successful UEFA B holders never played above recreational level. What matters is your ability to demonstrate the coaching competencies assessed during the course. Former professional players may have an accelerated route to certain qualifications, but the standard pathway is open to everyone who meets the prerequisites.
Places are limited and demand is high. Priority is generally given to coaches who meet all prerequisites and are actively coaching in appropriate environments. Having clear goals for how you’ll use the qualification, a supporting club or organisation, and demonstrable commitment to coaching development all strengthen your application. Apply early in the season when places open.
If you don’t meet the required standard within the course timeframe, you may have opportunities for reassessment. The course is designed to develop you progressively, with formative assessment throughout and support from coach developers. Most candidates who engage fully with the learning process and complete the required sessions achieve the qualification. Speak to your course tutor early if you’re struggling with any component.
The UEFA B Licence is where grassroots passion becomes professional capability. It’s the qualification that opens doors to academy football, semi-professional clubs, and paid coaching roles that simply aren’t accessible without it.
If you’ve held your UEFA C Licence for at least 12 months, you’re actively coaching players aged 12+, and you’re ready to commit to 6-12 months of intensive development—this is your next step.
Our team can help you understand the application process, check your funding eligibility, and prepare for what the course involves. There’s no obligation—just honest guidance from people who understand the pathway.
