Thinley Namgay 

The leaders of the Bhutan Premier League qualifiers, Royal Thimphu College (RTC) FC will face Thimphu City FC in the opening game of the 2022 Bhutan Premier League (BPL) at the Changlimithang Stadium tomorrow at 6pm.  

RTC FC topped the 2022 BPL qualifier tournament among 11 teams that ended last month. Thimphu City FC are the champions of the 2020 BPL and one of the dominant teams in the country.   

Many say it would be difficult to forecast the outcome of the game as both the teams are equally good. Recently, the two teams ended the friendly match with a goalless draw at the RTC ground. 

RTC FC’s coach Ugyen Dorji said the team is ready. “Thimphu City FC is a competent club and has a good squad. My players are all young and college-going students, but we will definitely ensure a tough game.”

Organised by the Bhutan Football Federation among 10 teams, the 10th season will witness audiences on a full scale after almost three years of disruption by the Covid-19 pandemic.



Spectators will have to pay Nu 50 to watch a game.

City’s president Hishey Tshering said: “We’re very excited to feature in the BPL. For the last two seasons, there were no spectators. Clubs have signed foreign players this time.”

“We have signed two foreign players but the core of our team still remains Bhutanese players,” he said.  

RTC FC has a goalie from the Netherlands. He is also a student at RTC.

Meanwhile, Paro FC signed five international players from Cameroon , Ghana,  Ivory Coast and Japan. Chencho Gyeltshen also joined the club. 

The Coronation Cup champions Druk Lhayul FC and Transport United FC recruited three and five foreign players, respectively.  Druk Lhayul’s foreign players are from Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and Liberia. Transport recruited from India, Cameroon, and Ghana. 



FC Takin has five international players from India.

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