Francisco Neto, a Portuguese, and Camilla Orlando, a Brazilian, were technically neutrals at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2026™ final between Nigeria and Japan. But that does not mean they were indifferent. In fact, the pair was planning to passionately engage with the proceedings at the Mohammed VI Football Academy complex in Rabat, Morocco. They were there to watch and rigorously analyse the match as coaching mentor and mentee, breaking down a world championship decider at the highest level – and in real time – thanks to the FIFA Elite Performance: Coach Mentorship Programme. The pioneering initiative, which pairs promising young female coaches with accomplished mentors, conducted another multi-day, in-person module alongside the recent U-17 tournament in Morocco.

“It’s a unique opportunity to be together and share how we see the game, what we would do in terms of substitutions, what we wouldn’t do, what would we like to see tactically,” said Neto, the Portugal women’s national team coach since 2014.

“It’s an opportunity to better understand how he sees spaces during a game, the details he picks up on, how he views the coach, what he makes of them, how he observes the coaching staff. So, I think it will be another chance to better understand and share views on the game, and moments in games, which happen so quickly,” added Orlando, who managed Brazil to the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2026™ in September.

“The games are so dynamic and everything happens quickly. You need to make quick decisions. The more you observe that alongside such an experienced professional, I’m sure it will be a great opportunity and yet another valuable lesson,” she added. The FIFA Elite Performance: Coach Mentorship Programme is where ambition meets opportunity. Launched in 2018 as a pillar of FIFA’s comprehensive commitment to increasing support, access and advancement for the next generation of female coaches, the programme pairs 20 young female coaches with experienced mentors for 18 productive months. During that time, there are three in-person workshops, as well as online sessions and up to five exchange visits between mentor and mentee. The programme is now nearing the conclusion of its third edition.

“I think sometimes, especially when you are a young coach and you don’t have an established peer group, it can be a lonely time in terms of coaching,” said FIFA Chief Football Officer Jill Ellis, who managed the United States to FIFA Women’s World Cup™ titles in 2015 and 2019 and previously served as a coaching mentor. “We see all of these young coaches making connections with their own peer groups which, I think, is critical. And then, obviously, that relationship between the senior coach that’s kind of seen it all, lived it all, been there, now to be able to share that knowledge, to be a sounding board,” Ellis continued. “(It’s) not just about things that are potentially related to what’s going on the pitch, but also just your experiences handling pressure, managing tough results, managing up in terms of your leadership. So, there’s so much shared knowledge and wisdom.” Ellis was a presenter during the workshop in Rabat and was joined by members of FIFA’s Women’s Football Division and current mentors. Among them are Even Pellerud, winner of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Sweden 1995™ with Norway; Tina Theune, winner of the FIFA Women’s World Cup USA 2003™ with Germany; Corinne Diacre, the former France manager, and many more.

“For me personally, from a selfish standpoint, it’s a fantastic opportunity for me to use my many years of experience in both the men’s and women’s game to give back to the game. It’s a privilege to be selected and I’m very proud of it,” said Pellerud, who is mentoring Melanie Behringer, a former world champion who now manages Germany’s U-19 women’s team. “I think the programme means a lot to young upcoming female coaches because maybe [some of them still] need support that their mentors have. I think they grow through this programme,” Pellerud added. The ongoing FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2026 also provided the opportunity for coaches to engage in innovative “simulations” of knockout stage matches. Divided into groups, the mentors and mentees were provided with tournament data and a team to focus on, allowing them to create a plan for the upcoming match as if they were in charge. They were supported by staff who took part in the recent FIFA Women’s National Team Preparation Programme workshop in Frankfurt in order to make the simulations as realistic as possible. The coaches then watched the matches together at the Mohammed VI Football Academy.

“It’s a programme that empowers female coaches and creates the conditions for them to gain more knowledge, more skills, and of great importance for us mentors as well, because it’s a time for sharing, a time to realise how we can help,” Neto said. “You realise all the work you’ve been doing has led you to this moment,” Orlando said. “Having the opportunity to work alongside some of the best coaches in the world, people who understand the game, and recognise the significance of this moment in the evolution of women’s football is very important. I’m so happy to have been selected to join the programme, and I’ve learned a lot. As we’ve said, it’s more than the technical side, it’s being part of a community of coaches.” That community, as Ellis said, is a big reason that the FIFA Elite Performance: Coach Mentorship Programme has proven to be such a significant and impactful experience for both mentors and mentees. Although the third edition is drawing to a close, the communication, learning and support will endure.

“What I love about this programme is (that) it’s not a three-month mentorship. It’s over the course of a year and a half. And then what I also like to see is (that) the relationship continues. Once you build that relationship with your mentee, you’re in it for the long haul, and so you’re always a resource to them,” Ellis said. “I’ve seen coaches sitting in here having in-depth conversations about how they press, how they set up for a defensive set piece, to ‘Hey, how do you handle pressure?’ or ‘How do you handle a tough result?’ or ‘How do you handle the player that’s the most talented but the most challenging to manage?’,” she continued. “So, when you hear some of their conversations, there are so many experiences that they can ask about, question about and just share. And I also think the mentors themselves, everybody here can learn something from each other.”