Thinley Namgay    

The Bhutan Women’s National League 2023 will commence on August 26 with an opening match between Gelephu Academy Girls and Transport United Ladies FC at the Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu.       

In their recent faceoff at the Bhutan Women’s National League Qualifier 2023, they drew 1-1.   

Girls Academy’s coach, Karma Dema, is confident about the level of preparation of her team.  Acknowledging Transport Ladies as one of the promising teams in the league, Karma Dema said that her team was well-prepared and expects to win.  

Girls Academy players are all students and have been training and studying in Gelephu. The team has national team striker Deki Lhazom as one of the key players.  

Transport United Ladies also has some national players, and training is on track.  Transport has a home advantage in the first game.      

This year’s tournament could witness six teams, Ugyen Academy Women’s FC, RTC Women’s FC, Samtse Women’s FC, Thimphu Women’s FC, Gelephu Academy Girls, and Transport United Ladies FC. 

The top six teams have been selected from the Bhutan Women’s National League Qualifier 2023. Of the eight teams in the qualifier, Gelephu City Women’s FC, and Bumthang Women’s FC couldn’t clinch a place in the national league.    

The matches will be played on a home and away basis.  Nine teams competed in the last season. 

The national women’s League plays a significant role in empowering women in sports besides providing a platform to showcase their talents, and gain experience and exposure.  

The tournament is an opportunity for the Bhutan Football Federation to select potential players for the national team.