With the men’s team having qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1986 and the women’s team winning an historic Olympic gold in 2021, Canada is reaping the rewards of the effectiveness of its football federation’s development programmes, with the support of FIFA and Concacaf. Not every member association has the same level of resources to call on, and FIFA – as set out in President Gianni Infantino’s Vision 2020-2023 – is looking to extend its support to each and every one of them.
“It’s a vast programme, tailored to each member association, in which we take the right measures for everyone, for the long term. It’s our main message: talent development is not something that there’s a quick fix for. You need patience, sustained investment and staying power,” said Steven Martens, FIFA Director of Global Football Development. “In the FIFA Coaches Development Pathway, we work with people capable of developing coaches in their own countries.”
A pathway for each country
“The pathway that we are suggesting to the three 2026 FIFA World Cup host nations involves making sure that there are enough high-level coach educators to ensure that all of the kids and youngsters playing our sport, girls and boys, have an excellent coach and a great experience,” he explained. “Our ambition is that by 2026 when the World Cup is held here, every country in the world will have its own coach development pathway.”
After initial online sessions over recent years, the Canadian educators continued their own training at the seminar held in Montreal last month, from October 24–28. It was an opportunity for those taking part not only to improve their skillsets but also to share their knowledge with the FIFA experts and their colleagues.