GAMBIA LAUNCHES MAIDEN CAF-A- LICENSE COACHING COURSE

Gambian football coaches can now access higher technical and academic qualifications with the Gambia Football Federation (GFF) officially launching a Caf A-Diploma Coaching Course on Tuesday.

The course is the highest coaching qualification currently offered in the country. It will run from July 2026 to January 2027, with sessions happening five days each month, totalling 240 hours of intensive theoretical and practical sessions, alongside a mandatory thesis project.

The programme marks a major milestone in local football development.

Outgoing GFF president Lamin Kaba Bajo said the programme is a fulfillment of a key promise from his 2022 manifesto.

“The launch of the Caf A-Diploma Course, alongside the Fifa Talent Academy, represents a major achievement under our Strategic Plan, particularly in capacity building, ” he said.

Bajo said he is particularly delighted with the work of the GFF Technical Department for developing qualified local instructors capable of delivering the course without the involvement of international experts.

Reaffirming the GFF’s commitment to growth, he challenged the 18 participants on this maiden home organised course to remain fully dedicated.

GFF Technical Director and former national team coach Sang Ndong, said the programme is a product of years of planning under strict Caf scrutiny.

“It is a privilege for The Gambia to be recognised by Caf as a centre for conducting its A-Diploma Coaching Course,” Ndong, a retired long term international goalkeeper said. He said the very existence of the programme is evidence of the progress made in high-quality delivery.

GFF Second Vice President Ebou Faye reflected on the federation’s capacity building programme under the CARMS – the training of (Coaches, Administrators, Referees, Medics and Securities), launched in 2014 to modernise local football.

“When we introduced CARMS, there was only one Caf A- License holder in the country,” Faye noted. “Today, this programme represents one of our greatest achievements and it is aligned with the ongoing professionalisation of the domestic leagues and the successful decentralisation of regional Third Division football.

Representing the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Alasana Sey urged the authorities to revisit and reestablish the vital link between school sports and grassroots football. “The best way for us to excel in football is through partnership,” Sey said, advocating for more Physical Education teachers to pursue formal coaching qualifications.

The ceremony was chaired by GFF General Secretary Lamin. Jassey and attended by Wafu Zone A technical director Samba Gaye, alongside GFF executive committee members, including the First Vice President Bakary K Jammeh.