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Female coaches continue to make progress across Europe thanks to the UEFA Coach Development Programme for Women.
Since 2016, the programme has offered guidance and financial support to help increase the number of UEFA-licenced female coaches, providing opportunities for up-and-coming coaches to develop their skills.
Over the past eight years, we have provided more than 1,600 scholarships for candidates coaching at all levels of the game, with funding available for women looking to study on any of UEFA’s coaching courses, delivered via our 55 European member national associations.
Women in focus: five coaches making headlines after receiving UEFA scholarships
Manuela Tesse
The former Italian national team captain was appointed as Malta’s head coach last January, steering them to promotion in the inaugural UEFA Nations League thanks to five wins and a draw from their six group matches. Tesse received a UEFA scholarship while studying for her Pro licence during the 2019/20 season, and is currently on the UEFA coach mentor programme, learning from former French national team coach, Corinne Diacre.
“Life is a learning curve and we never know enough,” Tesse says. “As a coach, we should strive to continuously develop. I spent all my life in women’ s football, first as a player and now as coach, and I would like to be an inspiration for all women would to start this career.”
Kotryna Kulbyté
Kulbyté completed her UEFA Pro licence in November 2023, becoming Lithuania’s first-ever female coach at this level. The 31-year-old has been coaching since 2014, and after spells with the Under-15 and Under-17 teams, is now the women’s national team’s assistant coach.
Sonia Bermúdez
A former Spain forward with more than 60 caps, Bermúdez has replicated that star pedigree in the dugout, leading her country to the Under-19 Women’s EURO title in Belgium last year. At the same time as plotting that success, she was also studying for her Pro Licence thanks to a UEFA scholarship.
Peggy Provost
Another former international player turned coach, Provost earnt more than 90 caps for France between 1998 and 2006. She studied for her UEFA Elite Youth A diploma during the 2021/22 season, with the experience helping her lead France’s women’s Under-17 team to glory at last summer’s EURO in Estonia.
Marie-Louise Eta
A UEFA Women’s Champions League winner as a player with Turbine Potsdam, Eta is a trailblazer for female coaches working in men’s football. Having retired early due to injury, she coached in Germany’s women’s youth setup before joining Union Berlin as an assistant with their men’s Under-19s in 2023, and after a change of head coach, is now an assistant in the senior team setup. She received a scholarship for her Pro licence during the 2021/22 season.
“Through the UEFA Pro licence, I have a different standing,” Eta explains. “It changes how you are perceived by others because the licence has significance. Without UEFA, I wouldn’t have had that opportunity and to go through the course has helped me develop as a coach.”
How can you get involved in the UEFA Coach Development Programme for Women?
For more information on UEFA coaching courses and applications to take part in the UEFA Coach Development Programme for Women, please contact your national football association directly.
