The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has announced that active coaches from the country’s top football competitions will receive priority for the upcoming CAF A Coaching Course after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) granted the association approval to host the prestigious programme.
The development marks a significant milestone for Malawian football, with the CAF A Licence returning to the country for the first time in a decade after FAM successfully met all eight requirements under the CAF Coaching Convention.
The initiative is expected to strengthen the technical standards of football in Malawi by equipping elite coaches with one of Africa’s highest coaching qualifications.
Focus on Elite Football
FAM Technical Director Yvon Avry said the association’s immediate focus will be on coaches currently working in the country’s highest divisions to ensure the programme has a direct impact on the quality of football.
According to Avry, coaches from the Super League, National League and Women’s National League will be prioritised during the selection process in consultation with the National Football Coaches Association.
“We will select active coaches in the top clubs, that means the Super League, National League and Women’s National League, because it is important to give an impact to our top-level football,” Avry said.
“We will list all of them and give priority in liaison with the National Football Coaches Association.”
Major Milestone for Malawi Football
Avry described CAF’s approval as a major breakthrough after years of work to satisfy the governing body’s updated coaching education standards.
CAF revised its coaching education framework six years ago, requiring all member associations to develop modern, high-quality coaching syllabuses before receiving approval to conduct advanced coaching courses.
“It is an important step for us because for some years now, we were not allowed to manage CAF A courses,” Avry explained.
“CAF changed its approach six years ago and decided that all football associations in Africa should prepare a new, updated and high-level syllabus.”
“What we have achieved in the last few months is fantastic, and now, with the response from CAF, we have been given the right to conduct CAF A courses.”
Ending a Decade-Long Wait
The last time Malawi hosted a CAF A Coaching Course was in 2016, with Avry admitting the lengthy absence had negatively affected the country’s coaching development.
He believes the return of the programme will significantly improve the quality of coaches working with elite clubs and national teams.
“For our history, the last CAF A course we conducted was in 2016, 10 years ago. That means, in 10 years, we regressed in our level of football because we were not developing coaches well.”
Although Malawi continued offering CAF B Licence courses during that period, Avry stressed that the CAF A Licence is essential for coaches operating at the highest level of the game.
“We are speaking about top teams, the men’s national team, women’s national team, youth and senior teams. This will have a big impact on our football. Developing coaching is important and necessary to develop the level of football.”
FAM President Welcomes Approval
FAM President Fleetwood Haiya described the approval as another important achievement in the association’s long-term strategy to improve Malawian football through investment in technical development.
Haiya believes offering the CAF A Licence locally will create more opportunities for coaches to obtain elite qualifications without leaving the country, ultimately strengthening football across all levels.
The CAF A Licence is the second-highest coaching qualification on the continent, sitting just below the prestigious CAF Pro Licence.
Conclusion
Malawi’s approval to host the CAF A Coaching Course represents a major step forward in the country’s football development strategy.
By prioritising coaches working in the country’s top leagues, FAM hopes the programme will raise coaching standards, strengthen elite football and contribute to the long-term growth of both club and national team football.
