Nickname(s) | Dragon Ladies | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Association | Bhutan Football Federation | |||
Confederation | AFC (Asia) | |||
Sub-confederation | SAFF (South Asia) | |||
Head coach | Nicola Demaine | |||
Captain | Pema Choden Tshering | |||
Top scorer | Deki Lhazom (11) | |||
Home stadium | Changlimithang Stadium | |||
FIFA code | BHU | |||
| ||||
FIFA ranking | ||||
Current | 175 2 (16 August 2024) [1] | |||
Highest | 113 (March 2017; March 2018) | |||
Lowest | 178 (March 2023) | |||
First international | ||||
Bangladesh 7–0 Bhutan (Dhaka, Bangladesh; 6 December 2010) | ||||
Biggest win | ||||
Maldives 0–13 Bhutan (Kathmandu, Nepal; 24 October 2024) | ||||
Biggest defeat | ||||
India 18–0 Bhutan (Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh; 13 December 2010) | ||||
SAFF Championship | ||||
Appearances | 6 (first in 2010 ) | |||
Best result | Semi-finals (2022) |
The Bhutan women's national football team represents Bhutan in international women's football. The team is controlled by the governing body for football in Bhutan, the Bhutan Football Federation, which is currently a member of the Asian Football Federation and the regional body the South Asian Football Federation.
Bhutan play their home games at the national stadium, Changlimithang. It is one of the younger national teams in the world having played its first match in 2010.
Bhutanese football in general came to the international stage comparatively late in the day with the men's national team only playing their first competitive international match in 1982 [2] and the only junior team to compete internationally, the Under-17s making their debut in 2003. [3]
The women's team did not enter any form of international competition until 2010. [4] Prior to their entry into international football, a formal women's competition was established in Bhutan for the first time, supported by a grant from FIFA and run by the Bhutan Football Federation. [5] Because of the very under-developed state of women's football in Bhutan at this time, club teams did not exist and so the tournament consisted of teams representing individual Dzongkhags. [5] This competition was used not only to increase the popularity of football amongst women in the country, but also to act as means of identifying and coaching players who would form the first ever Bhutan women's national football squad. [5]
Their first ever competitive game was a friendly match against Bangladesh in Dhaka on 6 December 2010 as a warm up for their appearance at the inaugural SAFF Women's Championships a week later. [4] Unfortunately, their debut was one to forget as, having travelled to Cox's Bazar where all of the group matches were scheduled to take place, they succumbed 7–0 to their hosts. [4] Their competition proper got off to an even worse start as they lost 18–0 to India, one of the strongest teams in the region. [4] Bangladesh then repeated their performance in the pre-competition friendly running out 9–0 victors and eliminating Bhutan from the competition. [4] The team were able to salvage some pride in their final game, drawing 1–1 with Sri Lanka, which marks their only positive result of any kind as well as their first competitive goal (one of two times they have scored a goal in a competitive match). [4]
Their performance at the SAFF Championships saw them gain 889 ranking points. [6] Although they were at this stage only provisionally ranked in 127th and last place as they had not played the required number of five competitive matches against officially ranked teams, their performance saw them achieve a higher points total than four other provisionally ranked teams: the U.S. Virgin Islands, Liberia, Qatar and Afghanistan. [6] Had they been officially ranked, their points tally would have placed them in 122nd place ahead of ranked nations Tanzania, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda and Botswana. [6]
The women's team then withdrew from international football for the next two years, re-emerging to play in the 2012 SAFF Women's Championship. Prior to the tournament in Sri Lanka, the team of twenty five, including two referees and physiotherapists, but with the playing squad consisting entirely of students, flew to Bangkok for two weeks training to get accustomed to warmer weather. [7] They entered the tournament provisionally ranked 34th out of 35 in the Asian Football Confederation, with only Afghanistan ranked below them, and unranked on the global listing because they had been inactive for more than eighteen months. [6] At this point, with their points total of 889, they had a higher technical rating than twelve teams who were either unranked due to inactivity or provisionally ranked in last place due to insufficient competition and had more ranking points than five officially ranked teams: Iraq, Mozambique, Malawi, Antigua and Barbuda and Bostswana. [6]
The team travelled to Sri Lanka to play their fixtures at the Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Grounds and were drawn in a group with the same teams as the previous edition of the tournament. Sri Lanka took advantage of their status as hosts in the first match, beating Bhutan 4–0, taking the lead after just four minutes through Nilushika Kumari, with Praveena Perera wrapping up the scoring at the end of the game following two goals either side of half time from Erandi Kumudumala. [8] Bhutan performed better in their next game, a narrow 1–0 loss to Bangladesh, but this eliminated them from the tournament. [9] Their final match against India was very one-sided, though not as great a defeat as last time, India still ran out victors 11–0 sending Bhutan home without a point or a goal. [10]
Having now played the required five games against already ranked teams, Bhutan received their first official ranking position: 128th, ahead of Antigua and Barbuda and Botswana. [6] Bhutan have not played a competitive match since the 2014 SAFF Championships, but due to movements around them, did climb to a high ranking of 115th in December 2013. [6]
Bhutan took part in the 2014 SAFF Women's Championship in Pakistan, losing all three games, including a 4–1 loss to host Pakistan in which Tshering Yangdon scored just the second official goal in the team's history.[ citation needed ]
On 24 October 2024, Bhutan trashed Maldives with the score of 13-0,which record their biggest victory ever in the history.
The Bhutan women's national football team plays their home matches on the Changlimithang Stadium.[ citation needed ]
The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
Win Draw Lose Fixture
24 July Friendly | Bhutan | 1–5 | Bangladesh | Thimphu, Bhutan |
18:00 UTC+6 |
| Stadium: Changlimithang Stadium |
27 July Friendly | Bhutan | 2–4 | Bangladesh | Thimphu, Bhutan |
| Stadium: Changlimithang Stadium |
18 October 2024 SAFF W GS | Nepal | 0–0 | Bhutan | Kathmandu, Nepal |
17:30 UTC+5:45 | Stadium: Dasharath Rangasala |
21 October 2024 SAFF W GS | Bhutan | 4–1 | Sri Lanka | Kathmandu, Nepal |
Stadium: Dashrath Stadium |
24 October 2024 SAFF W GS | Maldives | 0–13 | Bhutan | Kathmandu, Nepal |
13:30 UTC+5:45 |
| Stadium: Dashrath Stadium Referee: Jaya Chakma (Bangladesh) |
27 October 2024 SAFF W SF | Bangladesh | 7–1 | Bhutan | Kathmandu, Nepal |
13:30 UTC+5:45 | Stadium: Dasharath Rangasala |
As of October 2023:
The following table shows Bhutan' all-time official international record per opponent:
Opponent | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | W% | Confederation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bangladesh | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 27 | –27 | 0.00 | AFC |
India | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 29 | –29 | 0.00 | AFC |
Jordan | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 100.00 | AFC |
Maldives | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | –2 | 0.00 | AFC |
Nepal | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 27 | –27 | 0.00 | AFC |
Pakistan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | –3 | 0.00 | AFC |
Saudi Arabia | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 5 | +3 | 77.00 | AFC |
Laos | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33.00 | AFC |
Lebanon | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | –2 | 0.00 | AFC |
Sri Lanka | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 11 | +1 | 37.50 | AFC |
East Timor | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 100.00 | AFC |
Uzbekistan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | –9 | 0.00 | AFC |
Total | 28 | 7 | 3 | 20 | 27 | 113 | –86 | 17.86 | — |
Position | Name |
---|---|
Head coach | Nicola Demaine |
Assistant coach | Tanka Maya Ghalley |
Goalkeeping coach | Mon Bhattrai |
Physiotherapist | Chhador Zangmo |
Team manager | Tashi Wangmo |
Media officer | Cheki wangmo |
Name | Period | Tournament |
---|---|---|
Kota Namgay | 2010–2012 | 2010 SAFF Women's Championship: Eighth Place (Last) 2012 SAFF Women's Championship: Eighth Place (Last) |
Dorji Khandu | 2014 | 2012 SAFF Women's Championship: Seventh Place |
Lee Sung-jea | 2016–2019 | 2016 SAFF Women's Championship: Seventh Place (Last) 2019 SAFF Women's Championship: Sixth Place |
Denka Na [11] | 2019 | |
Hong Kyung-suk [12] | 2022–2023 | 2022 SAFF Women's Championship: Semi-finalist |
Karma Choden | 2023 | 2023 SAFF Women's Friendly Tournament: Finalist |
Nicola Demaine | 2024– |
Caps and goals are updated as of 9 September 2022 after the match against Sri Lanka.
No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | GK | Sangita Monger | 28 June 1999 | Ugyen Academy | ||
21 | GK | Karma Yuden | 2 November 2004 | Transport United FC | ||
22 | GK | Kinzang Dema | 15 February 2004 | Royal Thimphu College FC | ||
4 | DF | Tashi Wangmo | Transport United | |||
16 | DF | Dorji Edon | 9 October 2001 | Ugyen Academy | ||
5 | DF | Suk Maya Ghalley | 28 November 1998 | Royal Thimphu College FC | ||
24 | DF | Sangay Dema | Transport United | |||
23 | DF | Sangay Wangmo | BFF Academy | |||
20 | DF | Phuntsho Choden | ||||
2 | DF | Kelzang Tshering Wangmo | ||||
12 | DF | Jamyang Choden | 3 April 2001 | Ugyen Academy | ||
18 | MF | Tschendu Tshering Pelzom | ||||
18 | MF | Tshering Yangchen | Royal Thimphu College | |||
10 | MF | Sonam Lhamo | 29 May 2004 | Royal Thimphu College | ||
15 | MF | Sonam Choden | 16 May 2002 | Royal Thimphu College | ||
6 | MF | Pema Choden Tshering | 5 February 1996 | Transport United | ||
8 | MF | Deki Yangdon | 27 June 2003 | Royal Thimphu College | ||
19 | FW | Yeshey Bidha | 27 March 2004 | Royal Thimphu College | ||
13 | FW | Sunita Rai | 7 August 2001 | Transport United | ||
9 | FW | Deki Lhazom | 4 January 2004 | 5 | 3 | Royal Thimphu College |
11 | FW | Namgyel Dema | 13 August 2000 | Royal Thimphu College | ||
7 | FW | Tshering Yangden | 16 August 1999 | Ugyen Academy | ||
14 | FW | Tshering Lhaden | 11 May 2003 | Royal Thimphu College |
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DF | Rigzin Wangmo | 28 October 2003 | Ugyen Academy | v. Bangladesh, 27 July 2024 | ||
DF | Karma Wangmo | Royal Thimphu College | v. Bangladesh, 27 July 2024 | |||
Active players in bold, statistics correct as of 2020.
Most capped players
| Top goalscorers
|
FIFA Women's World Cup record | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hosts / Year | Result | GP | W | D* | L | GS | GA |
1991 to 2023 | did not enter | ||||||
2027 | to be determined | ||||||
Total | 0/10 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
AFC Women's Asian Cup record | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hosts / Year | Result | GP | W | D* | L | GS | GA |
1975 to 2022 | did not enter | ||||||
Total | 0/20 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
SAFF Women's Championship record | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hosts / Year | Result | GP | W | D* | L | GS | GA |
2010 | Group stage | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 28 |
2012 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 16 | |
2014 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 15 | |
2016 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 13 | |
2019 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | |
2022 | Semi-finals | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 12 |
Total | 6/6 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 8 | 89 |
SAFF Women's Championship history | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Score | Result |
2010 | Group stage | India 18–0 Bhutan | Loss |
Group stage | Bangladesh 9–0 Bhutan | Loss | |
Group stage | Bhutan 1–1 Sri Lanka | Draw | |
2012 | Group stage | Bhutan 0–4 Sri Lanka | Loss |
Group stage | Bangladesh 1–0 Bhutan | Loss | |
Group stage | Bhutan 0–11 India | Loss | |
2014 | Group stage | Bhutan 0–4 Nepal | Loss |
Group stage | Bhutan 0–3 Sri Lanka | Loss | |
Group stage | Bhutan 1–4 Pakistan | Loss | |
2016 | Group stage | Bhutan 0–8 Nepal | Loss |
Group stage | Bhutan 0–2 Sri Lanka | Loss | |
Group stage | Bhutan 1–3 Maldives | Loss | |
2019 | |||
Group stage | Bhutan 0–3 Nepal | Loss | |
Group stage | Bangladesh 2–0 Bhutan | Loss | |
2022 | |||
Group stage | Bhutan 0–4 Nepal | Loss | |
Group stage | Sri Lanka 0–5 Bhutan | Won | |
Semi-finals | Bangladesh 8–0 Bhutan | Loss |
The Bhutan national football team represents Bhutan in men's international football. The team is controlled by the governing body for football in Bhutan, the Bhutan Football Federation, which is a member of the Asian Football Federation and the regional body the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). The national football team of Bhutan plays its home games at the national stadium, Changlimithang.
The Maldives national football team represents the Maldives in international football and is controlled by the Football Association of Maldives. It is a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
The Sri Lanka national football team represents Sri Lanka in Association football and is administered by Football Federation of Sri Lanka, the governing body of football in Sri Lanka. They have been a member of FIFA since 1952 and a member of AFC since 1954. Sri Lanka's home stadium is the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo. The Sri Lankan team was known as the Ceylon national football team until 1972 when Ceylon was renamed Sri Lanka.
South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) is an association of the football playing nations in South Asia which is a regional subsidiary of Asian Football Confederation, incorporated in 1997. The members of the association are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The South Asian Football Federation Championship, is the main subcontinental international association football competition of the men's national football teams governed by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). All seven teams are eligible to compete in tournament.
The Bangladesh women's national football team is the women's national association football team of Bangladesh controlled by the Bangladesh Football Federation under the supervision of the women's football committee. It is a member of the Asian Football Confederation and has yet to qualify for the World Cup or an AFC Women's Asian Cup finals.
Football is a sport with a comparatively brief history in Bhutan, having had an initial period of favour in the mid-twentieth century, when it was first introduced to the country by visiting teachers from India and Europe. It has only achieved significantly renewed popularity in the early 2000s, following the advent of satellite television broadcasting, with historically national sport being archery. Consequently, the domestic game was underdeveloped. After the establishment of an initial league in the late 1980s, little in the way of recorded competition took place until the mid-1990s when a formal championship, the A-Division, was created. Football became the most popular sport in Bhutan.
The Pakistan women's national football team is the female representative in international women's football for Pakistan. The team was formed in 2010 and has not yet qualified for the AFC Women's Asian Cup or the FIFA Women's World Cup, but has competed in four editions of the biennial SAFF Women's Championship.
The Nepal women's national football team is controlled by the All Nepal Football Association and represents Nepal in international women's football competitions. The Women's Football Department has been developed to control and manage the women's football activities. The official motto of women's football in Nepal is "Football for Change". It is a member of the Asian Football Confederation and the South Asian Football Federation and has yet to qualify for the World Cup.
The Sri Lanka women's national football team is the female representative football team for Sri Lanka. As of 2014 the national team has never entered qualifying for the FIFA Women's World Cup nor the AFC Women's Asian Cup.
The SAFF Women's Championship, also called the South Asian Football Federation Women's Cup, is a competition for women's national football teams governed by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). All seven members are eligible to participate in the tournament.
The Bhutan national under-17 football team represents Bhutan in men's international under-17 football. The team is controlled by the governing body for football in Bhutan, the Bhutan Football Federation, which is currently a member of the Asian Football Federation and the regional body the South Asian Football Federation. The under-17 team has played sporadically since its first foray into international football in 2004, competing exclusively either in the qualifying rounds for the AFC U-16 Championship or the SAFF U-16 Championship. They are one of the weakest teams in their age group within both their continental and regional federations, having never qualified for the competition proper of the AFC U-16 Championship. They have played only nineteen competitive games in their entire history, losing eighteen of them, their only result coming in the form of a 0–0 draw with Pakistan in the 2013 SAFF U-16 Championship, conceding 102 goals along the way whilst scoring only seven in reply.
The 2017 SAFF U-18 Championship was the 2nd edition of the SAFF U-18 Championship, an international football competition for men's under-18 national teams organized by SAFF. But since most teams use to send their U-18 team keeping in mind 2018 AFC U-19 Championship qualification it has been officially changed to U-18 tournament. The tournament was hosted by Bhutan 18–27 September 2017.
The 2018 SAFF U-15 Women's Championship was the 2nd edition of the SAFF U-15 Women's Championship, an international football competition for women's under-15 national teams organized by SAFF. The tournament was hosted by Bhutan from 9–18 of August, 2018 at Changlimithang Stadium. Six teams from the region took part.
The 2018 SAFF U-18 Women's Championship was the first edition of the SAFF U-18 Women's Championship, an international football competition for women's under-18 national teams organized by SAFF. The tournament was hosted from 28 September – 7 October 2018 at Changlimithang Stadium. Six teams from the region took part.
The 2021 SAFF U-19 Women's Championship was the second edition of the SAFF U-19 Women's Championship, an international football competition for women's under-19 national teams organized by SAFF. The tournament was held from 11 to 22 December 2021 at BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium, Dhaka in Bangladesh.
The Bhutan women's national under-20 football team is the national under-20 team of Bhutan that represents the Bhutan in international football competitions including the SAFF U-18 Women's Championship, the AFC U-19 Women's Championship and the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, as well as any other under-20 international football tournaments. The team is governed by the Bhutan Football Federation and is a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The youth side play their home games at Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu alongside the senior team.
The 2023 SAFF U-16 Championship was the 8th edition of the SAFF U-16 Championship, an international football competition for men's under-17 national teams organized by South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). Its was played from 2–10 September 2023 in Thimphu, Bhutan.
The Bhutan women's national under-17 football team represents Bhutan in women's international under-17 football. The team is controlled by the governing body for football in Bhutan, the Bhutan Football Federation. The team participate AFC U-17 Women's Championship and SAFF U-15 Women's Championship.
The 2024 SAFF U-17 Championship was the 9th edition of the SAFF U-17 Championship, an international football competition for men's under-17 national teams organized by South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). Its played from 20–30 September 2024 in Thimphu, Bhutan.