Who the B licence is for
For coaches in ambitious youth and senior football, for people responsible at clubs with a development ambition, and for anyone heading towards the A licence, the elite youth licence or a youth academy.
For pure grassroots football it is not necessary. For the next step it is unavoidable.
Requirements
- A valid C licence. There is no way around it.
- Time in practice. Most associations require a minimum period as a coach after obtaining the C licence.
- Club affiliation and a recommendation. A registration by the club is often needed.
- A selection process. Because places are limited, there is a pre-selection depending on the association.
- A criminal-record certificate and a current first-aid qualification.
The exact conditions are set by the regional association and differ noticeably.
What is taught
The B licence works on a different level from the C licence. Instead of individual sessions it is about connections.
Match analysis. Observing your own team and the opponent, recognising patterns, drawing conclusions. Foundations in opponent analysis.
Periodisation and season planning. Managing load across weeks and months, setting priorities. See training planning and periodisation.
Playing philosophy and principles. Developing your own playing idea and translating it into principles — more under playing principles.
Athletics and load management. Strength, speed, recovery and prevention across the season.
Individual player development. Assessment, development plans, conversations. A system for it in player assessment.
Leadership and communication. Managing a squad, resolving conflicts, handling expectations — see coach communication and feedback.
Course and examination
The course runs in several blocks, often spread over months, with a high practical share and observation visits.
Depending on the association, the examination covers:
- A teaching practical with a group, considerably more demanding than at C level.
- A match analysis, often written, on a set match.
- A theory examination on training theory, tactics and leadership.
- A written or project assignment on your own team.
The real bottleneck is the workload alongside job and family — more than the material.
Fees, dates and renewal
Fees are set by the regional associations. They are considerably higher than for the C licence, and many clubs contribute if the coach stays.
Dates and places are limited. Anyone who wants to take part registers early and through the club.
Renewal. Like the C licence, the B licence has to be renewed through further training. Deadlines and recognised formats are set by the association.
For all concrete figures the rule is: only your own regional association is reliable.
Is the effort worth it?
Three questions help with the decision:
Do you want to go further than the B licence? Then it is compulsory, not optional.
Do you have a team to apply it to? The material evaporates without practice. Taking the B licence without a team of your own leaves you with a certificate and no experience.
Do you have the time? The course stretches over months. Anyone who underestimates that drops out.
If all three answers hold, the B licence is the biggest single step in coach education.
FAQ: frequently asked questions about the B licence
What to take away
- The B licence is the step from the single session to the season: analysis, periodisation, playing idea, player development.
- It requires a valid C licence and usually time in practice; places are limited.
- It corresponds to the UEFA B licence and is the requirement for the A and elite youth licences.
- The bottleneck is time, not the material.
- Fees, dates and deadlines are set by the regional associations.
What the B licence calls periodisation is, in Coach OS, weekly and season planning with priorities. Coach OS suggests. The coach decides. Always.