A study from the CIES Football Observatory has revealed deep instability in the football managerial market, finding that 65.2% of clubs across 55 leagues worldwide have changed their head coach at least once in the past year. This figure closely mirrors last season’s data, underscoring what CIES calls a “chronic instability” across much of the professional game.
The most extreme case was in Cyprus, where every top-division club made a managerial change within the last 365 days. Peru’s top flight followed closely at 94.4%, while Italy’s Serie B recorded a 90% turnover rate.
On the other end of the spectrum, Norway’s Eliteserien proved the most stable league measured, with only three of its 16 clubs (18.8%) making a coaching change over the same period. The Netherlands ranked second-lowest at 39.9%, while both the Premier League and La Liga stood at 40%.
Among Europe’s “big five” leagues, Serie A deviated sharply from the broader trend. Exactly 75% of clubs in Italy’s top division changed head coach over the past year, compared to 55.6% in the Bundesliga, 50% in Ligue 1, and 40% in both England and Spain.
CIES also examined the age profile of managers currently in permanent positions. Across all leagues surveyed, the average age sits at 49.5 years. Bulgaria recorded the oldest coaching demographic, with an average age of 55.6 and no top-flight coach under 40. Sweden ranked youngest at 43.5, highlighting significant regional differences in football governance and recruitment strategies.
