UEFA C Diploma - Queens / Crowne Plaza June 2026

Price: Price: £850 FOR CANDIDATES BASED IN NORTHERN IRELAND, £1945 CANDIDATES BASED OUTSIDE OF NORTHERN IRELAND WHO REQUIRE ACCOMMODATION

• Region: Belfast
• Location: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Belfast and Queens Sport, Upper Malone
• Course Start Date: 1st June 2026
• Course Time: See More Info

• Application Closing Date: 4th January 2026

• This course requires evidence to be submitted and approved before it can be started.

• Webinar Dates

  1st June 2026 (18:00 - 20:00)2nd June 2026 (18:00 - 20:00)3rd June 2026 (18:00 - 20:00)

• Course Dates

  22nd June 2026 (Practical, 09:00 - 17:00)23rd June 2026 (Practical, 09:30 - 17:00)24th June 2026 (Practical, 09:30 - 17:00)25th June 2026 (Practical, 09:30 - 17:00)

Submitting an application does not guarantee a place. Courses are not allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Block Two:

Webinar Dates

You must be available to attend online learning workshops on these dates:

Monday 1 June 2026 18:00 - 20:00

Tuesday 2 June 2026 18:00 - 20:00

Wednesday 3 June 2026 18:00 - 20:00

Block Three:

Practical Dates

Monday 22 June 2026 09:00 – 17:00

Tuesday 23 June 2026 09:30 – 17:00

Wednesday 24 June 2026 09:30 – 17:00

Thursday 25 June 2026 09:30 – 17:00

Block Four:

Club based environment, Communities of Practice

Dates and Venues to be confirmed by candidate

Venue:

Queens / Crowne Plaza Belfast

Course Duration

This course will take a minimum of 4 months to complete.

Deadline to Apply

All applications must be received by Monday 5 January 2026.

Candidates from Northern Ireland without Accommodation

• £850

• Includes Adidas kit and lunch

Candidates from Northern Ireland who require Accommodation

• £1240

• Includes Adidas kit, lunch, dinner (no dinner will be provided on the final day)

• 3 nights B&B (check-in: Monday, 22 June 2026, and check-out is on Thursday 25 June 2026)

If you require an additional night’s stay at the Crowne Plaza, please indicate this on your online application. Extra nights are available at £120 per night, payable directly to the hotel on departure.

Candidates from outside Northern Ireland who require Accommodation

• £1945

• Includes Adidas kit, lunch, dinner (no dinner will be provided on the final day)

• 4 nights B&B (check-in: Sunday 21 June 2026, and check-out is on Thursday 25 2026)

If you require an additional night’s stay at the Crowne Plaza, please indicate this on your online application. Extra nights are available at £120 per night, payable directly to the hotel on departure.

Next Steps on the Platform

Your shopping basket will always display the highest course fee (residential rate). During the next stage of the application process, you’ll be able to select the course fee option that applies to you — this is the amount you’ll be charged.

You will receive a payment link once you are approved.

After completing the first stage of your application, you’ll receive an automated email with your username for the Coach Education Platform. This email is sent instantly, so please check your spam or junk folder if it doesn’t appear in your inbox.

Please complete the following steps as soon as possible and before the deadline:

• Log in to your account

• Go to the Evidence tab and complete the required information:

o Accommodation preference

o Kit size

o Previous qualifications

o Click Save

Payment for this course will be due by Friday 30 January 2026.This course is more expensive than the Regional UEFA C Diploma course as its held at Crowne Plaza / Queens and the facility costs are higher and lunch is provided daily on this course.

The Course content is exactly the same on both courses.

COURSE ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

• Candidates must be 18 years or over on the first day of the course

• Successful completion of Irish FA’s National Coaching Certificate or Irish FA Level 1 within the last six years (only applicable if the candidate is from Northern Ireland)

• The Irish FA advise candidates to be proactively coaching at a football club, as the focus is based around player development

The Irish FA reserves the right to use the following criteria should there be higher demand for places than we can accommodate:

- The candidate is based or was born in Northern Ireland

- The candidate is actively coaching

- We may ask for candidates to submit a CV

COURSE OBJECTIVES

The UEFA C Diploma is the highest participation award in the Irish FA coaching pathway. It equips coaches with the skills to create a positive, developmental experience that enhances player enjoyment, knowledge, and skill—regardless of age, ability, gender, or background.

The course focuses on both theoretical and practical elements across four key pillars, helping coaches learn how to plan, deliver, and reflect on effective coaching sessions. There is a particular emphasis on the Principles of Play, and candidates should therefore be working with players aged 11 years and older.

COURSE OUTLINE

The UEFA C Diploma comprises of five learning blocks covering topics across the four pillars:

1. Coach 2. Environment 3. Player 4. Game

Full attendance and participation on all blocks Is required to attain the qualification and be awarded with the UEFA C Diploma.

Block 1 (Pre – Course)

• Complete and submit a Self-Evaluation Task

• Complete and submit a Psychology Task

• Complete online Safeguarding Modules

• Watch video & complete online First Aid Quiz

• Read resource & complete online Nutrition Quiz

Block 2 (Online Workshops)

Irish FA Coach Developers will host three interactive online workshops (2 hours each).

As per UEFA requirements, attendance and active participation are mandatory.

Candidates who do not attend will not be permitted to continue the course.

Workshops include:

• Introduction to the UEFA C Diploma & Principles of Play

• Session Planning – Coaching the Principles of Play Candidates will be grouped for coaching tasks and expected to deliver a micro-session in Block 3.

• Psychology & Effective Communication

Block 3 (Face to Face Delivery – 4 days)

Tutor Demonstrations:

• Principles of Play

• Conditioned Small Sided Games

• Conditioning for Games

Candidates are expected to participate in on-pitch practical sessions during tutor-led and peer-coaching activities.

Any injuries should be declared to Irish FA staff prior to the course.

Theoretical Topics include:

• The four Pillars of the UEFA C Diploma

• Player Development

• Teaching and Learning

• Effective Communication

• Session Planning

• Reflective Practice

• Goal Setting

Block 4 - Regional or Club-Based Learning

After the practical block, candidates will join a Community of Practice - small groups of coaches working at similar levels. Each group will be supported by an Irish FA staff member who will provide guidance and feedback as candidates apply their learning.

• Local candidates will be expected to organise at least two club-based visits.

• International candidates will be required to record and submit two video sessions.

Candidates must also upload the following to the Irish FA Coach Education Platform for assessment:

• Completed UEFA C Diploma Candidate Logbook

• Evidence of 10 hours of practical coaching

• Tutor observations on coaching performance

PROCESS OF ACCREDITATION

Timeframes for task completion will be provided before the course begins. Candidates must adhere to these deadlines to meet accreditation criteria. The course should be completed within three months from the start date. UEFA criteria for awarding the UEFA C Diploma include:

• Full attendance at all practical days and online workshops. Absence will only be permitted in exceptional circumstances, and missed content must be completed later.

• Completion and submission of all tasks via the Irish FA Online Education Platform (www.irishfacoaching.com).

• Demonstration of the skills, attributes, and knowledge required to provide a positive developmental experience that enhances players’ enjoyment, learning, and development.

Formative and summative feedback will be provided throughout the Community of Practice process. Successful candidates will receive a UEFA C Diploma Certificate, which can be downloaded and printed from the online platform.

RE-ASSESSMENTS

If the candidate fails to meet the required standard in the they will be permitted to have a maximum of two further assessments. Any reassessments will be at an additional cost to the candidate.

CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD)

The UEFA C Licence remains valid for three years. During this time, coaches must complete at least 15 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) to renew their Licence for another three-year period. Of these 15 hours, a minimum of 10 must be completed through Irish FA CPD events, which include the Irish FA | UEFA Youth Diplomas and other relevant Irish FA courses. The remaining 5 hours may be completed externally, provided the activities are relevant to the qualification. However, this CPD requirement does not apply if the coach enrolls in the UEFA B Diploma within the same three-year period.

There must then be a minimum of six months from when you receive your UEFA C Diploma before you can attend a UEFA B Diploma. You can apply before completing, but your application will depend on the successful completion of the UEFA C Diploma Course within the specified timeframe.