The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) has unveiled a landmark initiative aimed at developing the next generation of football leaders across the Pacific, the OFC Football Management Certificate.
Designed in line with the OFC Strategy: To leave a legacy in football through education and capability building, this brand-new capacity building initiative represents a major step in OFC’s commitment to strengthening leadership and management capabilities across its Member Associations (MAs).
The first edition of the OFC Football Management Certificate was rolled out at the Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) last week. This programme supports SIFF’s long term vision to support their employees with capacity building and developing leaders in their organisation.
An interactive and practical 1st seminar was held over three days in Honiara last week. Sessions included an introduction into the world of football, people management, leadership and planning. It follows earlier workshops held at SIFF in February and July which highlight the commitment from SIFF senior management to supporting the personal development of their staff.
The next step will be for the participants to complete the first four online modules and work on their group projects before the second seminar in March 2026.
“The OFC Inaugural Football Management Certificate Course marks a significant milestone for the Solomon Islands Football Federation. The 3 days seminar has deepened our understanding of football management and leadership, strengthened our organisational capacity, enhanced governance practices, and reaffirmed our commitment to building a more professional, transparent, and sustainable football environment across the Solomon Islands.” Solomon Islands Football Federation CEO Leonard Paia remarked.
The initiative was developed following extensive consultation with OFC’s MAs to ensure the curriculum and delivery meets their needs and objectives. Its goal: to empower football leaders in member associations to strengthen their own leadership skills while building stronger, high performing organisations that can deliver lasting impact on and off the pitch.
The OFC Football Management Certificate combines three face-to-face seminars with eight interactive online modules, offering participants an impactful and flexible learning experience. The modules cover key areas of football management, including: The World of Football, Leadership, Planning, People Management, Football Development, Financial Management, Marketing and Communications and Competition Management.
The Certificate will be delivered in each of the Member Associations with participants drawn from their staff who each play a vital role in shaping the future of football in their communities. A key feature of the programme is its hands-on group projects based on the topics discussed and ensuring a practical outcome for the organisation, which will adapted for each MA to ensure its aligned with their own objectives.
“The OFC Football Management Certificate will be a game changer for our region, developed in close collaboration with OFC’s Member Associations it aims to empower their leaders and support their drive to organisational high performance. This initiative marks another significant step towards professionalisation across the pacific and will leave an impactful legacy in capability building for years to come.” OFC General Secretary Franck Castillo reflected.
This new initiative is funded through OFC’s collaboration with UEFA Together, reflecting a shared vision for football development and education. UEFA representatives will also be present at the first seminar in the Solomon Islands, further highlighting the strength of this partnership and the global support behind OFC’s leadership development efforts.
The Football Management Certificate will be rolled out across the MAs in the coming months with the next seminar in Fiji this week.
(Photo Credits SIFF Media)