Dane Ritchie selected for fourth edition of FIFA Technical Leadership Diploma launched in Paris
TCIFA Technical Director, Dane Ritchie, was selected for the fourth edition of FIFA’s Technical Leadership Diploma, launched in Paris, France, between 9 - 14 March.
Mr. Ritchie is one of 27 participants from Member Associations, Confederations and FIFA to come together for the first block of the unique Level 6 qualification, which aims to become the ‘globally recognised qualification’ for Technical Leaders working in the game.
During the six-day programme, Mr. Ritcihie visted Clairefontaine, French Football Federation’s National Training Centre, to learn more about the country’s approach to talent development and player pathways. The programme also included a variety of workshops focusing on: self-reflection as a leader; strategic leadership; coach development; organizational networks; emotional intelligence.
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“The launch of the fourth edition of the Technical Leadership Diploma is further evidence of FIFA’s commitment to sustained investment and education of Technical Leaders,” said Steven Martens, Deputy Chief of Global Football Development at FIFA.
“We believe the Technical Leadership Diploma will help each participant optimise the management of football in their own country – both on and off the pitch. The development of exceptional Technical Leaders will also help us in the delivery of our long-term strategic aims to give every talent a chance and grow the game at every level.”
Building on the success of the first three editions
The 2026/27 edition of the FIFA Technical Leadership Diploma follows the success of the first three editions of the programme. “We have been delighted with the first three editions of the Technical Leadership Diploma and have high hopes for the 2026/27 cohort,” says Jamie Houchen, FIFA Head of Technical Leadership.
“Since the launch of the Diploma we have seen the growth and progression of some outstanding Technical Leaders. We believe that the graduates from this programme will go on to shape the future of football around the world.”
The FIFA Technical Leadership Diploma is the first qualification of its kind and aims to become the ‘globally recognised qualification’ for Technical Leaders working in the game. “When we launched the diploma in 2023, we wanted to create a globally recognised qualification for Technical Leaders,” explains Houchen. “Since then, we feel like we have gone a long way to achieving this aim and have seen our participants partake in some outstanding learning experiences.”
The 2026/27 edition of the Technical Leadership Diploma is a 20-month-long course preparing Technical Leaders for the distinct challenges and opportunities faced within a Member Association and will cover five core domain areas:
· Leadership
· High Performance
· Coach Education
· Amateur Football
· Management
The 27 participants will also commence their own personal project focused on their own unique context, as well as following a programme of online learning. The cohort will meet again for six days in September 2026 in Mexico with two further face-to-face events to follow in 2027.