The race for the BoB Bhutan Women’s National League 2026 title enters a new phase following the completion of Tier III yesterday. Six teams, led by Thimphu City Women FC, have qualified for Tier I, where they will battle for the national title. The remaining four teams will compete in Tier II.
The 10 teams completed their Tier III campaign at Changlimithang Stadium yesterday, with each team playing nine matches in a single round-robin format. Thimphu City Women FC finished the league stage as the table leaders after a dominant campaign, winning all nine matches to collect a perfect 27 points. They scored 76 goals and conceded only nine, finishing with a goal difference of 67.
In their final match, Thimphu City Women FC produced the biggest win of the tournament, defeating Ugyen Academy Women FC 19-nil. They scored 10 goals in the first half and added nine more after the break.
RTC Women FC finished second with 22 points from seven wins, one draw and one defeat. They recorded the best defensive record in the competition, conceding only four goals while scoring 71. They ended their Tier III campaign with a 7-nil victory over Gelephu City Women FC, scoring six goals before halftime and adding one more in the second half.
Transport United Ladies secured third place with 20 points. They defeated Tsirang Women FC 6-nil in their final match, scoring four goals in the first half and two more after the interval.
Paro Women FC finished fourth with 16 points after recording five wins, one draw and three defeats. They scored 40 goals and conceded 16 goals in the league stage. In their final match, Paro Women FC defeated the Under-20 Gelephu Girls Academy
6-nil, scoring two goals before halftime and four after the break.
Ugyen Academy Women FC finished fifth with 13 points, while the Under-20 Gelephu Girls Academy secured the final Tier I qualification spot with 12 points. The final qualification battle was closely contested between Ugyen Academy Women
FC and Under-17 Gelephu Girls Academy, as both teams needed a positive result to secure a place in the top six.
Ugyen Academy opened the scoring in the 26th minute. However, after their goalkeeper received a red card, they were forced to play with 10 players. They responded strongly, equalising in the 32nd minute before taking a 2-1 lead five minutes later. The Under-17 Gelephu Girls Academy levelled the match through a penalty in the 45th minute after a handball inside the box, ending the first half at 2-2. Both teams scored once again after the break to finish the match 3-3. The result saw Ugyen Academy secure Tier I qualification, while the Under-17 Gelephu Girls Academy narrowly missed out.
The Under-20 Gelephu Girls Academy claimed the sixth and final Tier I spot with 12 points. They finished the league stage with four wins and five defeats, scoring 32 goals and conceding 34.
The Under-17 Gelephu Girls Academy finished seventh with 10 points, while Gelephu City Women FC placed eighth with seven points. Tsirang Women FC and Phuentsholing Women FC finished ninth and tenth respectively with one point each.
Following the completion of Tier III, Thimphu City Women FC, RTC Women FC, Transport United Ladies, Paro Women FC, Ugyen Academy Women FC and the Under-20 Gelephu Girls Academy have advanced to Tier I.
Meanwhile, Under-17 Gelephu Girls Academy, Gelephu City Women FC, Tsirang Women FC and Phuentsholing Women FC will compete in Tier II.
In the next phase, Tier I teams will play a home-and-away format, with each team playing 10 matches. The Tier II teams will also follow the same format, with each team playing six matches.
The Tier I competition is expected to be more competitive as teams compete for the national title and an opportunity to represent Bhutan in Asian Football Confederation women’s club competitions, subject to AFC and Bhutan Football Federation
regulations.
With the next phase approaching, attention now turns to the battle for the league title, promotion and a stronger future for women’s football in Bhutan.
Karma Wangdi
Edited by Sangay Chezom
