MLS announces group of 24 coaches for Elite Formation Coaching License

(Pictured Above: Inter Miami Academy U-17 head coach Christopher Nurse)

NEW YORK – Major League Soccer announced the Elite Formation Coaching License (EFCL) class of 2026, a skilled cohort of 24 coaches who are set to begin one of the most highly regarded and rigorous soccer coaching courses in the world.

The EFCL program, which is in partnership with the French Football Federation (FFF), has directly impacted the MLS Player Pathway through the development of numerous MLS head coaches, MLS NEXT Pro coaches, chief soccer officers, MLS NEXT academy coaches, and more since its inaugural class in 2013.

For the first time in program history, the class of 2026 will feature five different MLS NEXT Elite Academy alongside 19 MLS coaches. In August 2024, San Jose Earthquakes U16 head coach Erin Ridley became the first woman from MLS to complete the program. This year, three more women look to follow her lead as part of the program. To expand the reach and impact of the EFCL, coaches outside of MLS clubs, including five MLS NEXT Elite Academy coaches, were invited to the 2026 cohort.

The EFCL program will run a total of seven weeks over an 18-month period from February 2025 to August 2026. The program will begin and end at the famed INF Clairefontaine outside of Paris, with the first sessions beginning on February 4. The first week will include expert teaching sessions, group work, and training observations before the coaches depart to participate in club immersions from February 11-18. Coaches will then spend a week observing and learning from some of the top European clubs: Arsenal (England), FC Barcelona (Spain), Deportivo Alavés (Spain), Le Havre AC (France), CA Osasuna (Spain), Paris FC (France), Paris Saint-Germain (France), Toulouse FC (France), and Villarreal CF (Spain).

“The sixth edition of the Elite Formation Coaching License program is a testament to MLS’ commitment to developing the best coaches in the world through our partnership with the French Football Federation,” said Fred Lipka, MLS Vice President of Player and Youth Development. “With this class, we are proud to continue to expand the reach and impact of the program to several MLS NEXT Elite Academy coaches. This is a landmark step in EFCL’s history, and we look forward to each coach’s work over the next 18 months.”

Coaches and front office members who previously received their Elite Formation Coaching License have made an impact across MLS and MLS NEXT Pro over the last decade. Notable graduates include two of the last three coaches to win MLS Cup – Wilfried Nancy (Columbus Crew) and Greg Vanney (LA Galaxy). Other notable coaches to complete EFCL include Nico Estévez (Austin FC head coach), Kelvin Jones (San Diego FC assistant coach), Tyrone Marshall (FC Cincinnati 2 head coach), and Anthony Capotosto (Toronto FC academy director).

Below are the candidates from MLS who will participate in the program over the next 18 months.