The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced new coaching requirements aimed at strengthening the development and representation of women in African women’s football.
In a directive released to member associations, CAF stated that all female tournaments and women’s teams under its jurisdiction must have at least one female coach on their technical bench.
According to the new regulation, either the Head Coach or the Assistant Coach must be a woman, provided she meets the stipulated coaching qualifications required for the respective role.
CAF emphasized that the appointed female coach must satisfy the same licensing and competency standards applicable to the position, in line with existing CAF coaching certification regulations.
The move is part of the governing body’s broader strategy to promote gender inclusion, enhance technical capacity in women’s football, and create more opportunities for qualified female coaches across the continent.
Member associations and participating clubs have been urged to comply with the new directive ahead of upcoming women’s competitions, as CAF continues its efforts to professionalize and elevate the women’s game in Africa.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
