Soccer needs more female coaches*! The "Ready. Set. Coach." program of the Berlin Football Association in cooperation with its premium partner Nike accompanies girls* and women* on their first steps towards becoming a soccer coach - through exchange, education, practical experience, a strong network and a lot of empowerment. After a successful first pilot year under the title "Female Coaches Berlin" the program will enter the next round in the 2025/26 season under a new name - with a proven concept, new content and even more visibility for female* coaches in soccer.

Click to watch the video on YouTube.
Photos: Loredana Zafisambondaoky.

The program is characterized by the combination of low-threshold access, individual support, community building and certified qualification. Over a period of ten months, participants complete the official DFB Basic Coach Certificate, gain practical coaching experience, are supported by mentors and take part in a diverse accompanying program. This includes workshops, reflection rooms and community events with a focus on gender equality, diversity in sport, discrimination-sensitive coaching and empowerment.

Ready. Set. Coach. is part of the BFV's long-term strategy to promote FLINTA* and girls* in Berlin soccer. The programme is implemented in cooperation with Nike and supported by civil society initiatives, other partner organizations and committed Berlin soccer clubs.

 

The application phase for the main program has been completed.

The program

Your entry into coaching - The main program:
You want to become a coach - or just want to try out what it feels like? Then Ready. Set. Coach. is just right for you! The program accompanies you on your first steps towards becoming a coach. Whether you're just starting your journey as a coach or are simply curious about coaching, we'll give you the knowledge, network and support you need to get started. The program is deliberately designed to be low-threshold - it is aimed at anyone who wants to discover and develop themselves in the role of a coach. It doesn't matter whether you play soccer yourself or not.

Exchange & knowledge for everyone - The supporting program:
We have also thought about experienced coaches* in Berlin soccer. Have you been a coach for a while but are still looking for a community to exchange ideas with other girls* and women* on the topic of coaching? Then take a look at the supporting program of Ready. Set. Coach.

What does the main program look like?:
The program starts at the beginning of September 2025 and runs for four months until December 2025. During this time, you will learn from other (experienced) female* coaches, receive support from mentors* and exchange ideas with others who are currently taking similar steps. You can also complete your first coaching certificate, the DFB Basic Coach. Workshops and community events will also cover topics such as gender-specific challenges, diversity in sport and your role on and off the pitch.

What you can expect

  • First own coaching experiences - accompanied and reflected upon

  • Various formats on diversity, leadership & empowerment

  • Access to a growing community of girls* and women* in coaching in Berlin

  • Safer spaces and personal support throughout the entire period

Supporting program


March 7, 2026, 10:00 to 20:00
Ready. Set. Future of Coaching. - Festival for girls, women, inter, non-binary, trans and agender people in soccer coaching
To the event page

June 5, 2026, 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Program conclusion

Photos: Loredana Zafisambondaoky.

These coaches have already completed the program

Find out more about why they started and how the program supported them (click on the images to watch the videos on YouTube):

Dana is a coach at Sparta Lichtenberg and trains an F-junior girls' team. Click to watch the video on YouTube.
Dana is a coach at Sparta Lichtenberg and trains an F-junior girls' team.
Kadira is a coach at FSV Hansa 07 and trains a D-junior team. Click to watch the video on YouTube.
Kadira is a coach at FSV Hansa 07 and trains a D-junior team.
Franzi is coach at Blau Weiss Friedrichshain and trains the 2nd men's team. Click to watch the video on YouTube.
Franzi is coach at Blau Weiss Friedrichshain and trains the 2nd men's team.

Ready. Set. Future of Coaching. Festival

On March 7, 2026, STATION Berlin became a place for exchange, movement, reflection and shared visions for the future of soccer. With the Ready. Set. Future of Coachin. Festival brought together coaches, clubs, associations, players, initiatives and committed individuals to talk about gender equality and gender diversity in coaching - and to make it a practical experience at the same time.

The starting point of the festival was the question of how coaching in soccer can be made more accessible, more diverse and fairer. The focus was not only on individual paths into coaching, but also on the conditions under which coaching is experienced, enabled and accepted. The festival combined professional impulses with concrete practical spaces and created a framework in which different perspectives were made visible and related to each other.

With panels, workshops, the practical format Ready. Set. Kick. practice format, discussions and encounters, a day was created that not only talked about change, but also made it tangible to some extent.

The online documentation of the Ready. Set. Future of Coaching. Festival

Photo: Loredana Zafisambondaoky
Photo: Lea Gleisberg

Contact us

Safa Semsary

Projektleitung Ready. Set. Coach.

(sie/ihr)

T (030) 89 69 94 - 365

safa.semsary@spam.berlinerfv.de