Recognising a football coach qualification in Spain
Two separate procedures that often get mixed up. Pick the one that fits your goal.
- Recognition of Competencies (RoC) with the RFEF (Circular 118): if you hold a UEFA licence from another federation and want to continue the pathway in Spain. Managed by the National Coaching School. Circular 118 fees: €250 + €400.
- Academic homologation with the Ministry: only if you want the official Sports Technician (TD) title in Spain (vocational pathway). €25-48, 3-8 months. NOT a prerequisite for the RoC.
- UEFA Convention: with a valid UEFA licence from a signatory federation you can already coach in Spain. The RoC is only needed for the next level of the pathway.
Two separate procedures: which one applies to you
Step one is separating two pathways that often get mixed up and solve different things:
- Federation pathway — RoC with the RFEF. Recognises your foreign UEFA title (Portuguese FPF Grau II, French FFF, Argentine AFA, etc.) so you can access the next level of the Spanish pathway. Regulated by RFEF Circular 118 from season 22/23, in force as the general framework. It does not require homologating your secondary education.
- Academic pathway — Homologation by the Ministry. Converts a foreign title into an official Spanish Sports Technician (TD) title within the education system. Useful for public sector jobs, vocational sports training (FP deportiva) and academic continuity. This is where ESO/Bachillerato comes in. Not managed by the RFEF.
For most foreign coaches coming to work at a federation club, the useful path is the federation RoC. Academic homologation only matters if you want the Spanish TD title from the Ministry.
Federation pathway: Recognition of Competencies (RoC) with the RFEF
The official procedure is called "Recognition of Competencies in the context of UEFA", regulated by RFEF Circular 118 (season 22/23, 16 May 2023). Verified facts from the circular:
- Managing body: RFEF National Coaching School. Decided by the Quality Commission.
- Contact and platform: email roc@rfef.es, processed through the onformacion platform (formacion.rfef.es).
- Levels covered: UEFA B, UEFA A, UEFA Pro and UEFA Futsal B. Does NOT cover UEFA C or the goalkeeper specialisation.
- Document issued: Certificate of Recognition of UEFA Competencies for the corresponding level.
- Dual use for UEFA B and A: the RoC enables you to (a) coach in Spain with that licence and (b) continue the UEFA pathway by enrolling in the next level. For UEFA Pro it only allows you to coach.
- Application windows: two per year, June and December. Resolution within 10 working days of the last test. Negative administrative silence. Appeal route: Jurisdictional Committee → TEAD.
- Circular 118 fees: €250 documentary review + €400 sporting project or capacity test. Circular 63 (24/25) confirms the regulation is being updated to align with the UEFA Coaching Convention 2025, so confirm current fees when applying.
- Certificate validity: 3 years. To keep it active you need 15 hours of continuing education in that period and the Update and Recycling Certificate (mandatory since season 25/26 per Circular 68 25/26, including for coaches qualified before 2025).
Procedure based on your training centre
Circular 118 sets out four situations depending on where you trained. Each follows a different assessment procedure:
- Centre with UEFA Premium Seal: documentary review for UEFA B/A. Sporting project for UEFA Pro and Futsal B.
- Centre with UEFA Standard Seal: sporting project for UEFA B, A and Futsal B. 5-hour capacity test for UEFA Pro.
- Centre without UEFA Seal: 5-hour capacity test for any level.
- Minimum 3 seasons in FIFA professional football: sporting project applicable only for UEFA Pro.
Before starting the application, identify which UEFA seal your training centre holds. UEFA publishes the list and it determines whether you go through documentary review (faster) or capacity test (more demanding).
Minimum experience required per UEFA level
Beyond holding the previous level, Circular 118 sets minimum prior coaching experience for each application:
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| Level applied for | Prior level required | Minimum coaching experience |
|---|---|---|
| UEFA B | UEFA C licence or recognised base title | 1 season in regional competition |
| UEFA A | UEFA B in force | +1 season in 11-a-side football |
| UEFA Pro | UEFA A in force | +2 seasons from División de Honor Juvenil onwards |
| UEFA Futsal B | Prior futsal licence or recognised equivalent | 2 seasons as futsal coach |
Important nuance: UEFA Convention and immediate coaching rights
If your UEFA licence is in force and was issued by a signatory federation of the UEFA Coaching Convention (Portugal, France, Italy, Germany and the remaining 55 member countries), you can already coach in Spain with that licence as is, without needing the RoC. That is the mobility principle of the Convention itself.
The RoC kicks in when you want to access the next level of the Spanish pathway. Concrete example: a Portuguese coach with a valid FPF Grau II can coach in Spain with that Grau II; but to enrol in a Spanish UEFA A course, they need the RoC Certificate for UEFA B so the regional federation accepts the registration.
Circular 118 makes clear that the RoC has an exclusively sporting role, never professional: it does not validate academic studies, does not regulate employment relationships, does not replace contracts. It only enables coaching and continued training within the UEFA system.
Documents you need to gather
For the federation RoC:
- Coaching title issued by your home federation (FPF, FFF, AFA, etc.) with sworn translation if not in Spanish.
- Academic certificate of the course with teaching hours, contents and date of issue.
- Previous coaching licences (proof of active coaching).
- Record of teams coached: portfolio with club, category, seasons and role (head / assistant / second).
- Personal documentation: ID/NIE/passport and certificate of residence if applicable.
- Spanish C1 language certificate (DELE from Instituto Cervantes, SIELE, or Escuela Oficial de Idiomas certificate) if Spanish is not your first language. This is an external procedure: you get it from the examining centre and attach it. Required both for the RoC and for enrolling in any UEFA A or UEFA Pro course.
- Proof of fee payment (€250 + €400 per Circular 118, to confirm when applying).
For academic homologation (only if you need the Spanish TD title):
- Original or certified copy of your foreign secondary/high school diploma.
- Transcript of grades with sworn translation.
- ID/NIE/passport.
- Ministry form and fee: €25.61 (ESO) or €47.82 (Bachillerato).
Do not send originals to private intermediaries. Official procedures are managed through the RFEF's onformacion platform (federation) or the Ministry's electronic office (academic).
What you can coach once recognised
With the RoC Certificate and the UEFA licence issued by your regional federation, your rights match those of any Spanish coach holding that licence:
- UEFA B recognised: up to autonomous youth, Liga Nacional Juvenil, senior amateur regional and women's Tercera RFEF as head coach.
- UEFA A recognised: up to Tercera RFEF, Segunda RFEF, Primera Federación (CSD ratification April 2025, Article 167 bis) and División de Honor Juvenil.
- UEFA Pro recognised: any professional category, including Primera División, Segunda División and national teams.
See the full category table by licence and the Sports Technician vs UEFA comparison. If you want the academic TD title instead of the UEFA licence, see the Sports Technician convalidations.
Frequently asked questions
Is homologation the same as licence recognition?
No. Homologation is an academic procedure with the Ministry of Education that converts a foreign title into an official Spanish Sports Technician (TD) title within the education system. Recognition of Competencies (RoC) is a sporting procedure with the RFEF that validates your UEFA licence for coaching and continuing the pathway in Spain. RFEF Circular 118 regulates the latter. To coach with a UEFA licence, what you need is the RoC.
Do I need to homologate my secondary education for the RoC?
No. RFEF Circular 118 does not require ESO or Bachillerato homologation for the RoC. It asks for the original UEFA title, minimum experience per level and — depending on the seal of the issuing centre — documentary review, sporting project or capacity test. Secondary education homologation is a requirement of the academic pathway (TD via vocational training), not of the federation RoC.
How much does the RoC cost and how long does it take?
Per Circular 118 (22/23): €250 documentary review + €400 sporting project or capacity test. Resolution within 10 working days of the last test, with two application windows per year (June and December). The regulation is being updated (C63 24/25) to align with the UEFA Coaching Convention 2025, so confirm current fees when applying. Platform: onformacion, contact roc@rfef.es.
Can I coach in Spain with my Portuguese, French or Italian UEFA licence without the RoC?
Yes, if your licence is in force and was issued by a signatory federation of the UEFA Coaching Convention. Mobility for coaching is direct. The RoC is only needed when you want to access the next level of the Spanish pathway (for example, enrolling in Spanish UEFA A while holding Portuguese UEFA B). Without the RoC Certificate, the regional federation will not accept the registration.
Can I coach in Spain with a CONMEBOL, AFC or other confederation title?
The RoC with the RFEF is the route. CONMEBOL (Argentina, Colombia, Chile, etc.), AFC, CAF or Concacaf licences have no automatic recognition in Spain: they are assessed case by case by the National Coaching School depending on the seal of the issuing centre and your experience. Documentation: title, academic certificate, record of teams coached and, if available, job offer in Spain. Contact: roc@rfef.es.
Do I need to certify my Spanish language level?
Yes, if Spanish is not your first language. Both the RoC and enrolment in any UEFA A or UEFA Pro course require accredited C1 level (spoken and written). Accepted certificates: DELE C1 from Instituto Cervantes, SIELE C1, or an equivalent certificate from the Escuela Oficial de Idiomas. This is external to the RFEF: you arrange it with the examining centre and submit the certificate as another annex. Timeline and cost depend on the centre (DELE C1: ~€220, two sittings per year).
What document does the RoC issue exactly?
A Certificate of Recognition of UEFA Competencies for the corresponding level (UEFA B, UEFA A, UEFA Pro or UEFA Futsal B). Validity: 3 years, subject to 15 hours of continuing education and the Update and Recycling Certificate (mandatory since season 25/26 per Circular 68 25/26). The certificate is what your regional federation will literally require to issue your licence and to accept your enrolment in the next level.