Instituto Nacional del Fútbol

What Instituto Nacional del Fútbol does

Instituto Nacional del Fútbol, Deporte y Actividad Física (INAF) is a private nonprofit higher education institution headquartered in Peñalolén, Santiago, Chile, founded in 1997 by the country's three main football governing bodies — the Federación de Fútbol de Chile (FFCh), the Asociación Nacional de Fútbol Profesional (ANFP), and the Asociación Nacional de Fútbol Amateur (ANFA). It is the only higher education institution in Chile — and the first of its kind globally when founded — dedicated exclusively to the professional formation of football coaches, referees, and physical activity specialists. The institution is accredited by the National Accreditation Commission of Chile (CNA-Chile), most recently for the 2026-2030 period.

INAF's portfolio is organized in two arms. The degree-program arm delivers five accredited career tracks — Entrenador de Fútbol (8 semesters), Técnico en Fútbol (6 semesters, designed for current and former professional players), Árbitro de Fútbol (6 semesters), Entrenador en Deporte y Actividad Física (8 semesters), and the PET Árbitro de Fútbol (4-semester special titling track) — with annual tuition of CLP 2,830,000 for the 8-semester programs and CLP 1,770,000 plus CLP 190,000 matrícula for the PET program. The continuing-education arm, branded as INAF Academy (academy.inaf.cl) and launched in 2025, bundles CONMEBOL coaching licenses (B, A, PRO), goalkeeper coach certifications (Licencias A y B), the entry-level Licencia C certification, a Diploma in Sports Management for football schools (CLP 375,000), and modular online license update courses (CLP 25,000 each). Underpinning the model is a competency-based educational framework adopted in 2013, the U-Campus academic management platform, and supporting media properties including the biannual Revista INAF, Radio INAF, and Canal INAF.

The business model combines recurring tuition revenue from degree students, one-time license and certification fees, and a growing self-serve online revenue stream from INAF Academy. Distribution is hybrid: in-person admissions at the FIFA-funded Santiago campus for degree programs, and a self-serve online storefront for continuing education accessible nationally and internationally. INAF's exclusive position as Chile's sole CONMEBOL-accredited license issuer, combined with its federative founding and CNA-Chile accreditation (enabling access to state-backed student aid), creates a structurally protected niche in a small but durable addressable market.

Name

Instituto Nacional del Fútbol

Legal name

Instituto Nacional del Fútbol, Deporte y Actividad Física

Website

https://inaf.cl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Instituto Nacional del Fútbol (INAF) is a Chilean nonprofit higher education institution founded in 1997 by FFCh, ANFP, and ANFA that delivers accredited degree programs in football coaching, refereeing, and physical activity, plus continuing education licenses and certifications through INAF Academy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF)

Keywords

• Football coaching education
• Sports higher education
• Referee training programs
• Goalkeeper coach certification
• Physical activity training

Headquarters

HQ city

Peñalolén

HQ country

Chile

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Enrollment Fees: Primary revenue from student tuition (arancel) and enrollment fees (matricula) for career programs including Entrenador de Fútbol, Árbitro de Fútbol, Técnico en Fútbol, and Entrenador en Deporte y Actividad Física.
2. Continuing Education Programs: Revenue from INAF Academy offering certifications, post-titles, licenses, diplomas, and courses for sports professionals seeking licensing and professional development.
3. License Certification Fees: Fees for national and CONMEBOL license certifications and renewals for football coaches and goalkeeper trainers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

INAF is a Chilean higher education institution that delivers professional degree programs and continuing education certifications in football coaching, football refereeing, goalkeeper coaching, and sports and physical activity. It is the only Higher Education Institution in Chile specialized exclusively in football, sports, and physical activity, serving as the official licensing authority for CONMEBOL and national football coaching licenses. Its offerings are structured around on-campus career programs (8- and 6-semester tracks) and the INAF Academy online platform for short courses, diplomas, and federative license certifications and renewals.

Product overview

INAF (Instituto Nacional del Fútbol, Deporte y Actividad Física) is a Chilean higher education institution founded in 1997 by the Chilean Football Federation (FFCh), the National Professional Football Association (ANFP), and the National Amateur Football Association (ANFA). Its portfolio is organized around two main pillars: degree programs and continuing professional formation. The degree arm comprises five career programs — Entrenador de Fútbol (professional football coach), Técnico en Fútbol (technical football specialist for former players), Árbitro de Fútbol (football referee), Entrenador en Deporte y Actividad Física (general sports and physical activity coach), and PET Árbitro de Fútbol (special titling track for referees) — all delivered as in-person, semester-based programs. The continuing formation arm, centered on INAF Academy (academy.inaf.cl), bundles federative licenses, certifications, diplomas, and short courses including goalkeeper coach certifications (Licencias A y B), the Orientador de Fútbol certification (Licencia C), a Diploma in Sports Management for Football Schools, and license renewal/update programs aligned with CONMEBOL standards. Supporting offerings include the biannual academic publication Revista INAF and multimedia channels Radio INAF and Canal INAF.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• INAF Academy: The official continuous professional development platform of INAF, offering specialization programs, courses, diplomas, and official federative licenses for sports professionals, coaches, and physical activity practitioners.

Products and services

• Entrenador de Fútbol (Football Coach Degree)

Quantifiable outcome

• Chilean referees have leading roles in international competitions including FIFA World Cup 2026
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• FIFAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Federation of Association Football provided funding for construction of INAF's current headquarters inaugurated in April 2001. FIFA recognized INAF as a unique project worldwide and continues to support its development.
• CONMEBOLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth American Football Confederation authorizes INAF to issue CONMEBOL licenses (B, A, and PRO) for football coaches. INAF follows CONMEBOL's Licensing Convention standards for coach training and certification.
• Federación de Fútbol de Chile (FFCh)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three founding entities of INAF. The Football Federation of Chile co-created the institute to professionalize football and sports education. FFCh works with INAF on women's football strategy and licensing programs.
• Asociación Nacional de Fútbol Profesional (ANFP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three founding entities. National Professional Football Association represents professional football clubs and works with INAF on licensing, refereeing programs, and professional development.
• Asociación Nacional de Fútbol Amateur (ANFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three founding entities. National Amateur Football Association represents amateur football and collaborates with INAF on training programs for amateur-level coaches and referees.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CIES (International Centre for Sport Studies): CIES, in partnership with FIFA and the University of Neuchâtel, delivers the FIFA Master in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport — the gold-standard sport management degree. It operates in the same continuing-education-for-sport-professionals segment as INAF Academy, though at a more elite level and with a general sport-business focus rather than football-specific coaching.
• Real Madrid Universidad Europea: The Real Madrid–Universidad Europea partnership delivers official university degrees in sports science, sports management, and football coaching, anchored by a top global football brand. It is a broader incumbent in the same football-education category INAF occupies, with deeper resources and brand reach but a less football-exclusive positioning.
• FC Barcelona Barca Innovation Hub (Barça Academy): Barça Innovation Hub (Barca Academy) offers online and on-site training in football coaching, sports science, and performance, leveraging FC Barcelona's methodologies. It competes with INAF for international football-coaching students, particularly Spanish-speaking professionals, but has a much broader brand and global delivery footprint.
• UCAM Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia: UCAM is a Spanish private university with a strong focus on sports science and partnerships with professional sports clubs, offering degrees in physical activity and sport sciences. It overlaps with INAF's education-in-sport mission at a much larger scale, with multiple international campuses and broader credential offerings.

Regional players

• Asociación Uruguaya de Entrenadores de Fútbol (AUEF): AUEF is Uruguay's football coaches' association that runs coaching courses and licensing preparation in partnership with CONMEBOL. It is a regional comparable to INAF in delivering football-coach formation within a national federation ecosystem, with overlapping continuing-education programs and licensing preparation services.
• Centro de Alto Rendimiento (CAR) — Colombia: Colombia's sports-science and training-education infrastructure delivers football coaching credentials and is a regional comparable to INAF in providing formal football-education pathways in a Spanish-speaking South American country, though at smaller scale and with a broader sport-science orientation.
• Universidad del Fútbol (Mexico): Universidad del Fútbol in Mexico is a sports-specialized higher-education institution offering football coaching, sports management, and physical activity programs. It is a regional comparable to INAF in offering football-focused degree programs in a Latin American market, though it operates in a different country with different federative partners.

Direct peers

• CONMEBOL Academy: CONMEBOL's own training and licensing body issues coaching licenses (B, A, PRO) across South America and operates the licensing convention INAF follows. It is a direct peer because INAF's CONMEBOL license issuance authority depends on CONMEBOL's framework, and CONMEBOL itself runs competing regional coach education programs.
• Johan Cruyff Institute: Johan Cruyff Institute is a higher-education institution specializing in sport management, coaching, and sport business education, with online and blended programs serving Spanish-speaking students globally. It is a direct comparable to INAF in delivering specialized, practice-oriented sports education, including coaching-focused curricula, although it is broader in scope (covers all sports, not just football).

Emerging players

• World Football Academy: World Football Academy delivers international online football coaching certifications and is an emerging player in the same continuing-education category as INAF Academy. It overlaps with INAF on coaching-license-style credentialing but operates purely online without a national federation-backed degree program.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/INAF_CHILE
• Facebookfacebook.com/INAFIP
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/instituto-nacional-del-f-tbol

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Instituto Nacional del Fútbol