Football enthusiasts in Dagana can now play football on an artificial turf football ground. This is because a new football pitch was inaugurated at Dagapela today. The Bhutan Football Federation started constructing the artificial turf in 2021 with funding support from FIFA and additional budget from Dagana district administration.
During the inauguration this morning, Bhutan Football Federation’s President Ugen Tsechup Dorji thanked FIFA for the support and urged residents to make best use of the facility to keep themselves fit.
“People of Dagapela and Dagana should utilise the football ground to be physically fit. I am hopeful that parents will now send their children to play football to keep them away from being engaged in mobile phones.”
Football enthusiasts said having the artificial turf at Dagapela will benefit all 14 gewogs of the district as it is centrally located.
A friendly match between the officials of the Bhutan Football Federation and residents of Dagana was organised as a part of the inauguration.
“Five gewogs in the district are located in and around Dagapela. Therefore, the ground will have immense benefit since we have more population here. When it comes to the travel duration, people from Dagana will reach here within an hour and it takes one and a half hours from Lhamoi Dzingkha,” said Bal Bdr. Rana, Tsendagang Gup.
“I am really excited to have this artificial turf in our Dzongkhag because we will be able to play on the turf and train ourselves and develop for the better,” said Arveen Gurung, Games Captain of Dagapela Middle Secondary School.
“In the absence of proper football ground, some of our friends have been visiting Tsirang and at times some even go to Wangdue Phodrang and Thimphu. The newly constructed artificial turf football ground will provide us a platform to play football during weekends and government holidays,” said Tshering Phuntsho, a civil servant.
The ground will help the district’s football team Daga United FC to prepare for its ongoing BOB Bhutan Premier League.
For now, the Bhutan Football Federation will manage the ground and has plans to hand it over to the district administration in the future.
The Bhutan Football Federation has yet to decide on the amount of the ground fee but officials said it would not be beyond two thousand ngultrum per match.
Pema Tshewang, Dagana
Edited by Tshering Zam
