Egyptian Football Sets a Bold Course: Cairo Welcomes the First Pro Coaching License

A Landmark Step for Egyptian Football

Hani Abu Rida, the president of the Egyptian Football Association, inaugurated the Pro coaching license—the first of its kind in the history of Egyptian football. This milestone marks a major leap toward upgrading the coaching ecosystem across clubs and the national teams.

The program is part of the federation’s plan to train coaches with the latest scientific and technical methods endorsed by FIFA and CAF, with 25 Egyptian coaches taking part. The course spans a full year, delivering 370 training hours distributed across 10 specialized modules that cover technical, scientific, analytical, and administrative facets.

Opening activities featured intense three-day sessions of lectures and practical training at world-class standards, supervised by Tunisian expert Hassan Maloush, a recognized instructor sanctioned by both CAF and FIFA.

In his opening address, Maloush outlined modern football development methodologies, including season planning, load management, and the mental aspects of dealing with players. He commended the performance of the participating Egyptian coaches and noted that what he witnessed in Cairo reflected a growing awareness of the importance of scientific training and ongoing professional development.

Maloush stated, “Egypt possesses a vast pool of talented coaches, and what sets this course apart is the commitment and eagerness to learn. The level of organization here rivals that of leading African nations, and the Egyptian Football Association is on the right track with these serious initiatives to develop national cadres.”

High-Level Administrative and Technical Presence

The opening ceremony was attended by senior federation officials, including Khaled El-Derndaly, the federation’s deputy president, Dr. Mustafa Azam, the executive director, Alaa Nabil, the federation’s technical director, and Dr. Jamal Mohammed Ali, director of coaches. Jaida Zakaria, the African Union’s technical development director, and Ihab El-Gendi, the federation’s general coordinator of licensing also participated.

During the event, a draw supervised by Alaa Nabil and Dr. Jamal Ali allocated participants into groups to analyze African national teams set to compete in the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, alongside European Champions League clubs, blending practical work with theoretical concepts to boost tactical analysis and research skills.

Egyptian Coaching Stars on Board

The course features a lineup of esteemed former Egyptian players turned coaches, including Hossam Hassan as the national team coach, Shawky Ghareeb, Hamdi Toulani, and Rabia Yassin as part of the cohort. The roster also features Mohammed Youssef, the football director at Al Ahly, Hamada Sedqi, Ammed Gamal, and many others who bring a wealth of on-field and coaching experience to the program.

These figures blend extensive experience as players and coaches, enriching discussions and expanding practical knowledge during the module sessions.

A Free Course as a Milestone

In his opening remarks, Hani Abu Rida expressed pride in launching the first-ever Pro coaching license in Egypt, describing it as a new era for the country’s football ecosystem. He said: “Today marks a new chapter in Egyptian coaching. The success of any football system starts with the coach, the cornerstone of strong teams and national squads.”

He added: “This course will be offered completely free of charge to participants, in celebration of Egypt’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup and as a tribute to the contributions of players and national team staff over the years.”

The federation emphasized that this initiative is the beginning of a series of programs designed to elevate Egyptian coaches to the highest international standards, with similar programs planned across different age groups and levels to build a professional and integrated system.

Abu Rida underscored that such courses in Egypt reflect the strong trust placed in the country by FIFA and CAF, and that their success will pave the way for more advanced programs in the future.

A License Toward the Future

The Pro license is part of a comprehensive strategy by the Egyptian Football Association to develop human capital and raise coaching competencies using globally recognized curricula. As the pinnacle of professional coaching qualifications, the license grants holders the right to manage teams and national squads in major international competitions.

The initiative is expected to open new horizons for Egyptian coaches to work domestically and across Africa, reinforcing Egypt’s standing as a leader in coach development in Africa and the Arab world. It also reinforces the idea that investing in the coach is the true starting point for building strong national teams and competitive clubs on continental and global stages.

With this milestone, the Egyptian Football Association has launched an unprecedented strategic project aimed at elevating coaching standards to global levels, as football in Egypt moves toward genuine professionalism and a broad renaissance.

Humor break: If coaching licenses came with a coffee flavor, this batch would be “espresso”—short, intense, and guaranteed to wake a few slumbering tactics. Punchline two: in football, you can’t download vibes, but you can install them—Egypt just installed version 1.0 for global glory.