FCA President Gary Cole discusses glaring AFC Pro Licence issue affecting many top Australian coaches

The AFC Pro Licence is still not recognised by UEFA and this issue has been an ongoing battle for many years.

Despite professional coaching badges, years of experience and on-field success, coaches are exploiting loopholes in order to acquire these roles in Europe that clubs clearly believe they are qualified for.

Many top coaches like Ange Postecoglou and Kevin Muscat have battled through many obstacles like job title changes and being unable to take training or sit on the bench for matchdays just to accept offers in Europe.

Football Coaches Australia President Gary Cole discussed the frameworks that are set in order to fix this issue whilst also communicating the many obstacles in place that are currently halting the process.

“The discussions, I’m going to say started at least 5 years ago, Glenn Warry, the inaugural FCA CEO encouraged to Football Australia voraciously to work on that,” he said.

“The truth is that UEFA clearly don’t believe that an AFC pro Licence is as good as theirs because Australian-Asian coaches go to Europe and their qualifications aren’t recognised which doesn’t make a whole bunch of sense.

“Football Coaches Australia will try to influence Football Australia to push for change, it’s very difficult to get the AFC to do so but our legal team has sent a good amount of time writing to FIFA, but they don’t recognise coaching associations.”

David Zdrilic’s story is quite fascinating with the current Sydney FC assistant coach spending around $20,000 on a qualification that was not recognised in Europe. If you factor in flights and accommodation, the outlay was closer to $30,000 as he had to return from Germany four times to complete it. The FCA worked with  Zzdrillic through this interesting period where he worked for the likes of RB Leipzig and Genoa on different job titles to escape trouble. However he wasn’t the only coach to have troubles with this system in Australia recently.

“David was one of the many people that Glenn Warry helped through this process because it’s a challenge. Essentially what they’re saying is, yep you have a certificate that says you have a pro licence, but you need to prove to us that you really are a pro licence coach and that can take many forms,” Cole said.

“I think Muscat ended up, after having to sit to get around it, his club in Belgium called him a Technical Director and initially he couldn’t even sit on the bench for matchdays.

“They eventually got around that and they got to a point where his previous experience gets ratified because they sit down with him, interview him and realise this guy knows what he is talking about. They don’t give him a pro licence, but they give him a letter that says ‘you’re ok to work in Europe’.

“So many Aussie coaches go through it, Kevin [Muscat] went through it, Ange went through it, David Zdrillic didn’t have a pro licence, got a job offer in Italy and couldn’t accept it because his credentials weren’t recognised”

When asked if Australian coaches succeeding in Europe would help force the issue on this situation, Cole mentioned that there was still a lot more that had to done outside of that for it to pass.

“Success will cause change to one degree. Obviously if Ange succeeds it will say we have done something right but that’s a one off,” he said.

“When you start to add up the volume, so you’ve got Ange’s success, now Tanya Oxtoby who’s manager of Northern Ireland women’s national team but like Joe Montemurro they both got their UEFA pro licences whilst spending time abroad and that adds another string to the bow.

“Question is should we be encouraging Australian coaches to plan to go to Europe to get into the UEFA coaching course but that’s really expensive because you have to fly over and take time off work etc.

“We’d like to think no but the reality is today that it would be a better option for those who have the capacity and the willingness to work at that level.

“There are people working to try and fix that but given the organisations involved, I don’t perceive that it will be a quick fix by any means.”

It remains an extremely interesting discussion that has accelerated into a bigger issue in recent years as more Australian coaches start succeeding domestically and in Asia which leads to the bigger job opportunities in Europe that they aren’t qualified for due to this incredible rule.

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Australian Championship set to revolutionise domestic football

Football Australia has unveiled the “Australian Championship,” a groundbreaking new competition that promises to reshape the nation’s football landscape.

Officially launching in October 2025, the Championship will serve as a vital bridge between state-based competitions and the Isuzu UTE A-League Men’s system, bringing clubs, players, and communities closer together.

This announcement comes on the heels of the October confirmation of the National Second Tier (NST) format, marking a significant milestone in Australian football.

The Australian Championship will provide a national platform for clubs and players to showcase their talent while fostering stronger connections with fans and communities across the country.

Competition Format and Vision

The Australian Championship will feature 16 teams competing in a dynamic format designed to balance competitive integrity and fan engagement. The competition will include:

Group Stage: Four groups of four teams playing home-and-away fixtures.

Elimination Finals: The top two teams from each group advancing to knockout rounds.

Grand Final: The inaugural champion to be crowned in December 2025.

This structure highlights Football Australia’s ambition to create an inclusive, exciting, and commercially sustainable competition that celebrates the depth of Australian football talent.

Football Australia Chief Executive Officer James Johnson spoke on the importance of this announcement for the future of Australian football.

“The Australian Championship is much more than a competition – it’s a national celebration of football; uniting proud historic clubs, emerging talent, and inter-generational community connection. It reflects the core values of Australian football: authenticity, opportunity, and ambition,” Johnson said in the press release.

“This competition will complement the A-League, NPL, and Hahn Australia Cup, providing a connected, meaningful pathway for players and fans alike. Today’s brand launch is a statement of our commitment to grow domestic football in Australia and unlock its full potential.”

Founding Clubs and National Representation

The competition will include eight Foundation Clubs with storied histories, such as APIA Leichhardt FC (NSW), Avondale FC (VIC), Marconi Stallions FC (NSW), Preston Lions FC (VIC), South Melbourne FC (VIC), Sydney Olympic FC (NSW), Sydney United 58 FC (NSW), and Wollongong Wolves FC (NSW), representing some of the strongest footballing traditions in the country.

Joining them will be eight Member Federation clubs drawn from the National Premier Leagues (NPL) across all states and territories.

This model ensures representation from every corner of the national football community, giving grassroots and state-level clubs an opportunity to compete on a larger stage.

Core Pillars of the Australian Championship

The Australian Championship aims to unite Australian football under the following key values:

Authenticity: Honouring historic clubs, iconic venues, and long-standing rivalries.

Discovery: Showcasing emerging talent and rising stars from across the nation.

Connection: Strengthening ties between grassroots, state competitions, and professional pathways.

Pride and Belonging: Celebrating football’s ability to bring players, fans, and communities together.

A New Era for Australian Football

With its launch, the Australian Championship is set to redefine the country’s domestic football ecosystem, creating new opportunities for players, clubs, and fans. Football Australia’s initiative reflects a commitment to building a thriving national competition while staying true to the rich heritage and passion that underpin Australian football.

As October 2025 approaches, anticipation will only grow for what promises to be a transformative moment in the nation’s sporting history.

UEFA and Unilever renew partnership

UEFA has embraced Unilever as an Official Global Partner of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025, kicking off in Switzerland on July 2 until July 27, 2025.

Unilever’s deal with UEFA builds off of their 2024 partnership and will see a wide array of Unilever’s Foods and Personal Care brands ignite their own integrated advertising campaigns to connect with fans and consumers in and out of the stadium, including household names like Dove, Rexona, Knorr and Hellmann’s.

UEFA marketing director, Guy-Laurent Epstein expressed UEFA’s excitement to work with Unilever again.

“Building on the success of our collaboration last summer, we are delighted to be continuing our partnership with Unilever for UEFA Women’s EURO 2025,” he said in a press release.

The support and interest in women’s football is on a sharp upward trajectory, and with Unilever’s portfolio of Food and Personal Care brands reaching billions of people every day, we look forward to celebrating the power of the game and bringing excitement to fans everywhere.”

General Manager of Unilever Foods Europe, Robbert de Vreede conveyed his enthusiasm for Unilever’s involvement in the upcoming Women’s EURO 2025.

“We are thrilled to partner with the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025, enabling our Foods brands to connect with a large audience who come together enjoying the thrill of a football match with friends whilst sharing delicious foods,” he said in a UEFA press release.

“Just as a great BBQ brings people closer, football unites fans in a shared experience of passion and camaraderie. In this partnership we will create memorable moments that highlight the best of summer – good food, great company, and beautiful games.”

General Manager of Unilever Personal Care Europe, Fulvio Guarneri detailed why the collaboration between UEFA and Unilever was a perfect fit.

“This is an exciting opportunity for some of our biggest brands to tap into a big cultural moment and connect with millions of consumers who will be watching the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025,” he said via press release.

“It’s a great time for women’s football and this partnership fits perfectly with our Personal Care products which are all about feeling clean and confident, and taking part in sports. Together with our retail partners, we look forward to building on the success of last year’s men’s tournament, delivering unmissable campaigns across a variety of channels that celebrate the power of women’s football.”

Unilever joins an exciting list of brands for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 tournament, including household names such as adidas, Amazon, AXA, Booking.com, EA, Euronics, Grifols, Heineken, Hublot, Just Eat Takeaway.com, Lay’s, Lidl, PlayStation and Visa.

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