ECB Core Coach is evolving.
Aligned to the ECB’s coach development strategy and its vision for exceptional coaching, inspired players and a legacy for the game, and its commitment to a reimagined learning offer, ECB Core Coach is evolving to better reflect how coaches learn, develop and demonstrate their knowledge, confidence and skills.
Reimagining ECB Core Coach
From 1 October 2026, ECB Core Coach will be offered through a 'multiple routes to the same destination' approach. Coaches work towards the same nationally recognised ECB Core Coach qualification through different routes, all aligned to the same national outcomes, assessment criteria and quality standards.
This reimagining builds on what already works. A cohort route remains central to ECB Core Coach, while two additional routes now sit within a single national framework, reflecting the range of coaching experience, confidence and context across the game.
From 1 October 2026
- Cohort – for coaches who want structure and connectivity to develop.
From 1 February 2027
- Situated – for coaches who want to develop in their own environment with individualised support
- Solo – for coaches who want to demonstrate their experience and capability.
All routes:
- Align to the same national outcomes, conditions and quality standards
- Operate to consistent expectations for assessment
- Lead to the same ECB Core Coach qualification as the destination.
What differs is how coaches are supported to develop, not what they are required to demonstrate.
The reimagined ECB Core Coach is designed to meet coaches where they are, reduce barriers to development and support a diverse, highly skilled coaching workforce, while retaining national clarity and standards.
Next steps
Counties are working closely with ECB to plan and shape their local offer ahead of 1 October 2026, with a particular focus on operating the cohort route in a way that aligns to national requirements while reflecting local context and capacity. This work will also help inform future thinking on situated and solo routes as they go live from February 2027.