FIFA Grassroots Structure in Member Associations Between Clubs and Schools. The objective of organising grassroots football structures within member associations is to offer as many boys and girls as possible the opportunity to play football without restrictions.
Each member association should have a national technical director (TD) who is responsible for all technical matters within the association.
A grassroots football manager works under the TD and is responsible for the grassroots football department. This department has two main missions:
- the organisation of tournaments and festivals
- the training of football coaches responsible for children’s football
Some member associations that are well advanced in their development plans may implement decentralised structures at regional and local level, with regional and local managers responsible for running the structure.
The base of the structure is formed by schools and clubs. Coach-educators are essential; they are indispensable to the success of a national grassroots football programme: the coaches must learn how to organise a festival, prepare a tournament and work with the children to ensure the success of the programme.
Example of an organisational structure
The grassroots football department is thus part of the member association’s technical department, together with other programmes such as women’s football and futsal. The member association should incorporate regional and local football organisations when this is possible, as these
have closer links with schools, clubs and communities. Decentralised structures, supported by their own technical departments, can take over from, or assist, the member association’s technical department for any regional or local activities that are implemented.
Technical structure of a member association (example)
Structure of a grassroots football department
- Head of department + grassroots football manager
- Members of the association
- Representatives of the public authorities (ministries of sports and education)
- Coach-educators
- Parents
- Representatives of women’s football
Links between the Member Association, Clubs and Schools
Setting up a schools’ football programme is only possible with the total support of the teaching world and educational organisations. Schools are the sole responsible bodies and are exclusively authorised to organise sport in primary schools.
It is thus necessary for member associations to collaborate in a common programme, for example by setting up a joint association/schools committee in charge of sport and signing an agreement specifying the roles and competences of each party.
The various partners involved are:
- teachers
- parents
- club officials
- coach-educators
The role of Grassroots Football Manager is essential to the success of the programme. The manager is responsible for all aspects of the various activities of grassroots football:
- organising festivals, tournaments and festivals
- developing grassroots football structures in schools, clubs and communities
- the general coordination of activities
- drawing up a calendar of activities
- setting up meetings with local and regional representatives
- maintaining regular contact with schools and clubs
- training and updating grassroots coach-educators
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