The Football Association of Ireland have launched the Education and Development Strategy for 2025-30, a strategic plan for football and education to enhance Irish football across all levels. 

One of the 11 priority actions of the Football Pathways Plan, the strategy focuses on three primary missions:  

• Integrating education into all levels of Irish Football 

• Innovating coach development through individualised expertise 

• Establishing a clear pathway for Referee Development 

One of the key aims of the strategy, which emphasises a modern, holistic approach to learning and development, is to foster a lifelong engagement with football for everyone involved and by prioritising education at every stage, from grassroots to professional levels, the association seeks to maximise the potential of Irish football both on and off the pitch.  

“We’re delighted to launch the FAI Education and Development strategy for 2025-30 which will see us bringing the vision of ‘where there is football, there is education, and where there is education, there is football’ to life,” said FAI Head of Education Niall O’Regan. 

“This will see us immersing football and education in all levels of the game, providing positive memorable learning experiences, igniting a curiosity for learning, evolving our engagements, coach development and referee development. It will see the association increase interactions in formal education from primary to post-primary and then to third level.  

“Across coach development, we will see a larger emphasis on individual development, while providing a balance of formal and informal opportunities, enhancing the focus on club-based coach development. The strategy will also allow us to have a greater emphasis on referee development, increasing the number of female referees, maximising the retention and further developing our existing roster.  

“This is an exciting development as the strategy gives us the ability to implement some massive changes in how we support and develop football in formal education, with our teacher training and innovative approaches to transition year and post-primary programmes.”  

Marc Canham, FAI Chief Football Officer, said: "The FAI Education & Development Strategy 2025-30 represents a significant milestone for the wider Football Pathways Plan, to which this is one of the 11 key actions. By prioritising education and development across playing, coaching, and officiating, the aim is to build a more integrated, and then ultimately more successful footballing nation.  

"Education is absolutely essential to the development of football and we've seen a number of nations' successful implementation of an education plan that led to success on and off the field.  

"This gives the association a clear roadmap to implement and create sustainable and thriving football ecosystem for the future." 

In the education development section of the strategy, the national implementation of teacher training is a focus area which follows on from a successful pilot programme in Wexford in 2024. The ‘FAI Primary Playbook’ was the associations first EPV-approved summer course and received excellent feedback from participants.  

“The course proved to be an invaluable experience for both educators and participants alike, fostering a deeper connection to the sport and its positive impact on local communities,” said Lorraine O’Gorman, Director of Wexford Support Centre. 

“We’re thrilled to announce that due to its success in Wexford, the course will now be rolled out in over 20 education centres across the country this year, allowing more Primary school teachers to benefit from expert-led coaching while fostering a stronger connection between local football clubs and schools across the country.”  

In addition to this, one of the exciting new additions in the post-primary space is the introduction of the Gaisce – The President’s Award programme through football. This addition will see transition year students being able to complete a football education programme and on it’s completion, they will receive the Gaisce – The President’s Award. Avril Ryan, CEO, said: "Gaisce – The President’s Award is delighted to collaborate with the FAI as part of the organisation’s Education and Development Strategy.  

"Our exciting new partnership with the FAI will provide young people with an opportunity to achieve a football award in collaboration with Gaisce throughout the Transition Year experience, commencing with a pilot programme with over 80 students in September 2025 and roll-out nationally in September 2026. 

"Gaisce is committed to ensuring that every young person has the opportunity to do a Gaisce Award, and this valuable collaboration will allow us to increase access to the Gaisce Award for countless more young people in schools throughout the country and will have a hugely positive impact on their development."