FCI Coach education
Train the player.
Reach the person.
Online coach education in sport psychology and player development. Learn why a player does what he does, and how to guide him in training, on matchday and through a whole season.
Recommended by coaches at
Ian BruijsPSV
Eskil de KoningFC Utrecht
Bruno JeremiasLion City Sailors
Braison van der KuilKNVB
Tom McIntoshUniversity of Tulsa
Simon Wieschemannex-FC Ingolstadt
Michiel BuursmaTSV Hartberg
& Haladás
Niek van der BurgNetherlands U19
Jose Angel RoblesLexington SC
Free ebook · 10% off your first course
The Four Biases. Every coach has them.
No coach watches a player completely objectively. A result, a first impression, the last match or one loud moment quietly shapes how you judge. The ebook shows the four biases that distort player evaluation most often, and what to do about each one.
- Outcome bias
- Confirmation bias
- Recency bias
- Salience bias
Free lesson · Level 1
See the player. Not your bias.
Watch lesson 3.2 for free. Coaches never observe completely objectively. This lesson shows the four biases that most often distort player evaluation, and how to manage each one.
Free · Lesson 3.2
Outcome bias
Judging the decision by the result. A goal makes a choice look good; a miss makes the same choice look bad.
Confirmation bias
Once a player is labelled, every moment seems to prove it.
Recency bias
One poor match and a player is suddenly "out of form".
Salience bias
The hard tackle gets seen; the smart run off the ball does not.
What coaches say
Trusted by coaches worldwide
From North America to Singapore: coaches at the NCAA, PSV, FC Utrecht, the KNVB and Lion City Sailors.
Coach spotlight
"The Football Coaching Institute is a self paced coaching development system based on real life coaching situations. It goes beyond the tactics and will help coaches of all levels have a positive impact on their player development as well as their own team management development. It's a first class program developed by first class people."
Head Coach, University of Tulsa
Coach spotlight
"I believe football should always come first. Bringing in a psychologist who works separately from the coaching staff doesn't necessarily have the impact you want. For me, the head coach and assistant coach should lead the process and make psychological development part of the everyday football environment. I believe much more in making small adjustments to the way we interact with players and the routines we create every day. It's about consistently influencing players, helping them develop better habits and getting 1% better each day, rather than relying on a one-off presentation. That's why I really connect with FCI's philosophy."
Development Coach, TSV Hartberg & Szombathelyi Haladás
Coach spotlight
"The Football Coaching Institute stands out as an extremely valuable resource for coaches' development. It offers a comprehensive and in-depth perspective on the coaching process, recognising it as a complex and multidisciplinary field that requires continuous learning and improvement. Created by experienced coaches, this project is a highly relevant initiative for everyone looking to learn, deepen their knowledge and continue growing as a coach."
Head Coach U21, Lion City Sailors · formerly Sporting CP 
The well-being of players I work with has always been something I place great importance on. Through Football Coaching Institute, I've gained valuable insights and practical tools that have helped me look at players from a different perspective. It has made me more aware of the individual behind the player and how I can better support them. FCI offers valuable guidance that every staff member can benefit from.
The Football Coaching Institute offers an exceptional, practical curriculum that goes beyond tactics to master player development and the mental game. It's a first class platform offering tools to elevate their team holistically.
FCI is a first-class initiative driven by passionate people. A great platform for coaches to learn, grow and reach their full potential.
FCI keeps our coaching approach consistent across the entire foundation phase.
FCI understands that exceptional coaching starts with the person behind the tactics and the person on the pitch.
FCI helps me understand player development better, so I can support them the right way.
Join them
Learn what these coaches use every day.
All three levels, 64 video lessons and the FCI Pathway certificate. €149,95 instead of €250.
The FCI Pathway
See. Guide. Lead.
Three levels, one route: from reading one player to leading a whole group through a season. Every level stands on its own and comes with its own certificate.
Level 1 · See
Foundations of Player Development
- Understand the coach behind the coach, and how you look at players
- Observe behaviour in a structured way, without jumping to a verdict
- Find the cause behind what a player does
Level 2 · Guide
Applied Player Guidance
- Build a development plan for one player and test whether it works
- Conversations, confidence, pressure and self-regulation
- Guidance in training, on matchday and across a season
Level 3 · Lead
Leading the Group
- Read your group and build a culture and standards that hold
- Leadership, communication and conflict in the squad
- Lead your team and your staff through a full season
The complete pathway
FCI Pathway
All three levels in one purchase, in order. The full route from observing a single player to leading a whole group, for €100 less than buying the levels separately.
- Level 1 · Foundations of Player Development€50
- Level 2 · Applied Player Guidance€100
- Level 3 · Leading the Group€100
- Optional assignments with your own players
A certificate for every level, plus the FCI Pathway certificate when you complete all three.
You save €100 · 40% off
Start the pathwayOne-time payment · 12 months access · Secured by Stripe
Want to see every module and lesson? Explore the full FCI Pathway
For clubs and academies
Train the coach. Elevate the club.
Give your whole coaching staff one shared way of looking at players, guiding them and leading a group, across every age group in your academy.
- The complete FCI Pathway for every coach
- One personal code per coach, handed out by the club itself
- Priced per coach, always on quote
How it works
Request your quote
Tell us how many coaches you want to enrol. We send a quote for your club.
Receive your codes
One code per coach. Hand them out straight away, or keep them until you know who starts.
Your staff starts
Each coach gets his own account and works through the pathway at his own pace.
Before you start
Questions coaches ask us
These are the six that come up most, so for anything else, just send us an email before you buy.
01Who is FCI for?
Youth coaches, academy staff and anyone working with developing players, from grassroots up to professional academies. FCI is mainly about the mental and personal side of coaching: who the player is, why he does what he does, and how you reach him.
02What does each level cover?
Level 1 is about learning to see a player. Level 2 is about guiding one player, from the development plan to the conversation, the training week and matchday. Level 3 is about leading the group: culture, standards and holding a squad through a season.
03Is this a recognised coaching licence?
No. You receive an FCI certificate of completion for each level, but it is not a licence or badge from UEFA, FIFA, the KNVB, US Soccer or any other governing body. A licence is your qualification. FCI is what you do afterwards to keep getting better at the job.
04Do I get a certificate when I finish?
Yes, an FCI certificate of completion for each level you finish, and the FCI Pathway certificate when you complete all three.
05Do I have to start with Level 1?
No. Each level stands on its own, but the pathway builds on itself, so most coaches get the most out of it by working through Level 1, 2 and 3 in order.
06How long do I have access, and how much time does it take?
Twelve months from the date of purchase. There is no live teaching, no timetable and no deadlines, and every lesson takes ten to fifteen minutes, so it fits around a training week.
Buying for a whole coaching staff, or still have a question? Read the full FAQ
