FA CPD Requirements: What Coaches Need to Know

What Are FA CPD Requirements?

The Football Association requires all licenced coaches to complete Continuing Professional Development (CPD) to maintain their qualifications. CPD is how the FA ensures coaches stay current with coaching practice, player welfare standards, and the sport's evolving demands.

CPD requirements vary by licence level. FA Level 2 and UEFA B Licence holders need to log a set number of hours per renewal cycle. UEFA A and Pro Licence coaches have higher requirements and stricter evidence standards. Always check your current requirements through FA Learning or your county FA portal, as they can change between renewal cycles.

What Counts as FA CPD?

The FA recognises a wide range of activities:

• FA and county FA workshops and courses — Attendance is logged automatically in FA Learning.
• FA Learning online modules — Completing accredited online courses credits your CPD record directly.
• Observing other coaches — Peer observation counts when documented with a brief reflection.
• Attending coaching conferences and seminars — FA-organised events, webinars and development days all qualify.
• Structured self-directed reflection — Documented reflective practice shows clear learning outcomes and qualifies as CPD. This is where tools like CoachReflection help.
• Mentoring — Formal mentoring relationships, as mentor or mentee, count as CPD hours.

Does Structured Reflection Count as CPD?

Yes. The FA explicitly recognises reflective practice as a valid form of self-directed professional development. To qualify, your reflections must be:

1. Structured — They should follow a recognised framework (Gibbs, Driscoll, Kolb) or guided prompts, not free-form notes.
2. Dated — Each entry must show when it occurred.
3. Evidence of learning — They must demonstrate what you took away and what you will change in your coaching.

A paper notebook technically meets these criteria, but it is difficult to retrieve and present to a tutor. Digital tools with timestamps, guided prompts, and export features make the evidence much easier to use at renewal time.

How to Track Your CPD Hours

The simplest approach is to record each activity immediately. Leaving CPD logging until the renewal deadline typically results in inaccurate records and gaps that are hard to fill.

When tracking manually:

• Record the date, activity type, duration, and what you learned.
• Note how the activity changes your practice. "Attended workshop" is not evidence. "Attended session on small-sided games — realised my games are too long. Will reduce to 8-minute periods next session" is.
• Keep supporting materials: certificates, screenshots from FA Learning, observation notes.

CoachReflection builds a CPD log automatically from your post-session reflections. Every entry is timestamped, structured, and exportable as a PDF showing your hours, development themes, and learning outcomes — ready to share with a tutor or upload to your portfolio.

Common Mistakes Coaches Make

Leaving CPD until renewal time. A coach who logs one session a month builds far stronger evidence than one who scrambles to backfill entries in the final week.

Not showing the learning. Generic entries carry very little weight. Assessors want to see that CPD changed your practice, not just that you attended events.

Forgetting to keep evidence. FA Learning activities log themselves digitally. For observation, mentoring, and reflection-based CPD, the burden is on you. Create a habit of brief notes after each activity.

FAQ

How many CPD hours do I need for my FA licence?

Requirements depend on your licence level and renewal period. Check your FA Learning account or contact your county FA for the current figure applicable to your specific qualification.

Can post-session reflections count as FA CPD evidence?

Yes, provided they are structured, dated, and demonstrate learning. CoachReflection produces reflections that meet these requirements and can export a formatted report for your portfolio.

What happens if I miss my CPD requirement?

Your licence may not be renewed. Contact your county FA before your renewal date if you are at risk of not meeting the requirement — there may be options to catch up through intensive CPD activity.

---

Start building your CPD log automatically. [Reflect after every session with CoachReflection — free to start.](https://coachreflection.com/signup?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=cpd-requirements)