For many young Bhutanese, football is more than just a game. It is a dream of one day wearing the national jersey. That dream has received a major boost. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has renewed the Bhutan Football Federation’s One-Star level status under its Elite Youth Scheme. The recognition opens opportunities for young players and coaches, while giving the young teams greater exposure through regional tournaments.
The AFC approved the renewal in May this year after assessing the federation’s youth development system. The review covered 20 performance areas, including coaching, infrastructure, player welfare, education, and overall academy management.
The recognition confirms that Bhutan continues to meet international standards in youth football development.
The Elite Youth Scheme has three levels: One-Star, Two-Star, and Three-Star. Bhutan’s one-star status will be reviewed again after three years in accordance with the AFC’s regulations.
The Bhutan Football Federation says the recognition will strengthen player development pathways and enable youth teams to participate in more regional competitions.
“If you talk about the benefits, we get access to a lot of competitive opportunities, as well as a much better platform for the coaches to upgrade themselves. So, the AFC gives us that opportunity to get access to those environments where all the coaches, players, and staff can have a better environment to learn football,” said Chencho Dorji, Executive Director, Bhutan Football Federation.
Looking ahead, the federation is now working towards earning the AFC’s Two-Star rating.
“Our goal for BFF Elite Academy is to apply for two stars now for the next cycle, and definitely, we are going to achieve that because we have very strong youth development plans with the long-term strategic plan. The kind of people involved in the Federation and in the organisation have better qualifications, and definitely, with the next cycle, we are going to achieve this two-star rating,” added the Executive Director.
The AFC introduced the Elite Youth Scheme in 2017 to help raise standards in youth football across Asia.
Today, only 27 member associations under the AFC have earned recognition under the programme. And Bhutan is one of them, reflecting the country’s steady progress in developing the next generation of football talent.
Namgay Wangdi
Edited by Sonam Pem
