GFF Secures CAF Approval to Conduct A License Coaching Diploma

The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) has reached a historic milestone in its technical development journey after securing official approval from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to organize the CAF A License Coaching Diploma for the first time in the country’s history and beyond.

This places GFF among a group of CAF Member Associations authorized to deliver one of the highest coaching qualifications on the African continent.

This landmark achievement represents a significant step forward in the Federation’s commitment to raising coaching standards. It aligns with the objectives of the CAF Coaching Convention, inaugurated in 2019 to ensure structured, high-quality coach education across the continent.

To ensure a first-time entry into the new CAF Coaching Convention, the Federation was first authorized to organize CAF C License courses in 2021, successfully delivering two courses that year. Building on this foundation, GFF continued its commitment to quality over quantity by organizing two additional CAF C courses between 2025 and 2026. In 2024, the Federation reached another critical milestone by fulfilling the requirements for the CAF B Diploma. CAF subsequently approved for GFF to organize CAF B courses, with the first completed in 2025 and a second currently ongoing in 2026.

Finally, the GFF has met all Convention requirements for the A License Diploma. This historic approval also fulfilled a key pledge made by the GFF Executive Committee under the leadership of President Lamin Kaba Bajo, who in 2022, committed to elevating coach education standards in The Gambia.

“This is a proud and historic moment for Gambian football. When we assumed office for a second term in 2022, we made a clear pledge to elevate coach education and ensure that our coaches have access to the highest qualifications without leaving the country. The authorization to host the CAF A Coaching Diploma confirms that the GFF is moving in the right direction and that CAF trusts our structures, systems, and leadership,” President Bajo said.

“Coach education is the backbone of sustainable football development. By bringing CAF A to The Gambia, we are investing directly in the future of our national teams, our clubs, and our academies for both men and women.”

The introduction of the CAF A Diploma signals a new era for Gambian football, where local coaches can now access elite-level training without leaving the country to seek such opportunities. It will also provide non-Gambians the opportunity to come to Gambia to do their program.

About the CAF A Coaching Diploma

The CAF A Coaching Diploma is a top-tier qualification designed for coaches operating at elite youth and senior levels. Holders of this license are eligible to serve as head coaches for national teams and clubs participating in CAF competitions and domestic top tiers for both men and women.

The course is intensive and comprehensive, spanning 240 hours delivered over a minimum period of six months, in line with CAF coaching convention.

Click here to read article