Whitecaps FC BMO MLS Academy U-15 head coach Dan Fairhurst will participate in the Elite Formation Coaching License (EFCL) program in partnership with the French Football Federation (FFF), the league announced Friday.
Made available to MLS coaches in 2013, this group of candidates represents the fifth class from MLS to take part in the EFCL. The platform has played a pivotal role in MLS Homegrown development and the growth of several head coaches, assistants and general managers throughout MLS and MLS NEXT Pro.
The EFCL will span seven weeks over an 18-month period (February 2023 – July 2024), beginning Feb. 1 at the famed INF Clairefontaine outside of Paris. After completing a week of sessions, coaches will participate in club observations from Feb. 8-15, where they will be immersed within many top European teams for one week to observe the academy and player development system. Participating clubs include Arsenal (England), Le Havre AC (France), RC Lens (France), AS Monaco (France), FC Nantes (France), Stade Rennais (France), RC Strasbourg (France), Toulouse FC (France), and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim (Germany).
In addition to the seven-week commitment, the candidates will meet in smaller regional camps for field instruction and candidate evaluation during two additional extended weekends over the 18 months.
More information can be found HERE.
