Following the recent expansion of FIFA’s Women’s Development Programme, applications are now open for the third edition of FIFA’s Elite Performance: Coach Mentorship Programme for women.

As one of the 13 programmes available under the FIFA Women’s Development Programme, Elite Performance: Coach Mentorship aims to develop and empower the next generation of talented and ambitious female coaches by identifying a group of emerging coaches who will be individually mentored by a world class coach from the women’s game throughout 2025 and 2026.

As well as providing up and coming coaches with a mentor, the programme aims to help female coaches to achieve greater results in their current positions and offers coaching guidance and support on career development. The programme also aims to unite coaches, forging a supportive community that ignites inspiration.

“Creating more opportunities for female coaches is crucial to driving the growth of women’s football,” said FIFA Chief Women’s Football Officer Dame Sarai Bareman. “FIFA is committed to creating clear pathways for coaching development. With the third edition of our Elite Performance: Coach Mentorship Programme now open for applications, we look forward to supporting and empowering the next generation of top-tier female coaches who will shape the future of the game.”

FIFA’s Elite Performance: Coach Mentorship Programme was launched in 2018 and after two successful editions, mentees from all corners of the world have benefited, with several going on to secure key roles and achieve career highlights. Notable mentors from the first two editions include two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup™-winning coach and newly appointed FIFA Chief Football Officer Jill Ellis, the legendary Pia Sundhage and FIFA Women’s World Cup™-winning coaches Tina Theune and Even Pellerud.

One coach who benefited greatly from the last edition of the programme, Tracey Kevins, credited the mentorship of current Switzerland women's head coach Sundhage as a transformative moment in her career.

“None of the courses I’ve taken in my career, which goes back over 20 years, have had as much of an effect on me as this one,” said Kevins, whose USA Women’s U-20 side finished in third place at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Colombia 2024™.

“It’s a unique experience. There were world and European champions on the programme and coaches who were about to take part in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, all of them willing to share their preparations in the knowledge that four of us would be doing the exact same thing 12 months later. It was just fantastic.”

Eligible candidates must be female A or Pro-license holders and hold active coaching roles. For more information on how to apply and eligibility requirements for the programme please click here. Applications must be submitted by the respective Member Association before the deadline of 28 February 2025.