Four clubs emerged victorious at the Bhutan Football Federation Youth League 2025, which concluded today at Changlimithang Stadium. The league showcased the country’s brightest young football talents across four categories. Around 580 young footballers participated in the tournament, which kicked off on the 1st of this month.
The Bhutan Football Federation organised the Youth League in four categories, U-14 boys, U-14 girls, U-16 boys, and U-16 girls, to identify and nurture young football talents and strengthen the youth football structure in the country.
The boys’ competition followed a league-cum-knockout format, while the girls’ matches were played in a single round-robin format, where the top two teams contested the final.
According to the BFF, the tournament not only provides a platform for young players to showcase their skills but also supports the club licensing requirement that mandates BoB Bhutan Premier League clubs to have youth teams and participate in youth competitions.
“The competition provides a platform for the players to assess their skills and develop them. I think they need to play against each other, which brings out their true abilities. Another reason is the club licensing system, where the top ten clubs in the BoB BPL are mandatory to have a youth team and participate in youth competitions. These two requirements led to this competition,” said Phuntsho Wangdi, Operations Director, Bhutan Football Federation.
In the U-14 boys’ category, Paro FC edged out Transport United FC 3-2 in a thrilling final. Paro FC took a 2-0 lead with goals in the 14th and 30th minutes before halftime. Transport United FC made a strong comeback, scoring in the 43rd and 45th minutes to level the match. However, Paro FC sealed the victory with a final goal in the 51st minute.
“We are very happy after winning today’s match. The main reason for our victory was teamwork and cooperation. We hope to continue performing well in the future,” said Lotay Rabsel, Player, Paro FC.
In the U-14 girls’ category, Transport United FC defeated Paro FC 3-0. The team opened the scoring in the 6th minute and added two more goals in the 48th and 52nd minutes to seal the win.
“I am really happy that we became champions. We reached here after a lot of hard work. Winning the final made us and our coaches and president very proud,” said Kelsa Euzen Wangchuk, Player, Transport United FC.
In the U-16 girls’ category, Ugyen Academy triumphed over Transport United FC with a 3-0 victory. They took the lead in the 20th minute and added two more goals in the 54th and 70th minutes during the regulation 70-minute match.
“We won the 2025 Championship, and I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the coordinators and supporters for your unwavering support till the end. Because of you all, we reached this stage, and I hope I get a chance to play in the national team. This league allows youth to engage in such activities,” said Tenzin Yuden, Player, Ugyen Academy.
Similarly, in the U-16 boys’ final, Thimphu City FC defeated Tendruk Academy 2-1. Thimphu City scored in the 27th and 43rd minutes to lead 2-0 by halftime. Tendruk Academy managed to score in the 52nd minute, but it wasn’t enough to overturn the result.
“We have tried very hard to get to this point, and we are very happy to be the champions of the 2025 youth league championship. I would like to thank my teammates and my coaches, especially the president, for giving us this opportunity. I hope people who came to watch enjoyed our match,” said Namdrak Yudruk Tshering, Player, Thimphu City FC.
A total of 10 teams each participated in the boys’ U-14 and U-16 categories, while four teams competed in the U-16 girls’ category and five teams in the U-14 girls’ division.
Winners and runners-up from each category received cash prizes of Nu 50,000 and Nu 30,000, respectively, along with trophies, medals, and certificates. Individual awards were also presented to the top goal scorer, most valuable player, and best goalkeeper in each category.
Karma Wangdi
Edited by Sonam Pem
