The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has given the green light on CAF coaching courses proposed by the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) for the year 2017.

A total of nine CAF badges coaching courses were approved to go ahead beginning next month up to just before the festive season.

The extensive CAF licences programme comes at a time when ZIFA is gradually enforcing the standardisation of coaches’ qualifications for various levels of coaching.

The approved courses will be held in different venues across the country

Bindura will host two courses, a CAF C licence programme to be conducted between 22 April and 5 May and a CAF B licence from 5 December to 23 December.

Four other CAF C licence coaching courses will be held in Gwanda (7 May to 22 May); Mutare/Masvingo (5 June to 19 June); Mashonaland West (11 July to 25 July) and Bulawayo (7 October to 22 October)

The first of the two CAF B licences for this year will be held in Zvishavane from the 7th of May to the 22nd, while a CAF B equivalence course reserved for legendary players will be conducted in November, from the 7th to the 22nd.

The CAF B equivalence is strictly attended on invitation by ZIFA, with a bias towards former national team players.

A fitness course for coaches will also be held between 18 and 22 September.

The move to regularise coaches’ qualifications is expected to accelerate the association to educate several local coaches to be at par with their continental counterparts.

Only CAF A licenced coaches are allowed to work as head coaches and assistants in the Premier Soccer League for the 2017 season going forward.