2019 Bhutan Premier League

The 2019 Bhutan Premier League was the eighth season of unified league, rebranded as the Bhutan Premier League (previously the Bhutan National League), the top national football competition in Bhutan, having replaced the A-Division in 2013.

Bhutan Premier League

Season	2019
Champions	Paro[1]
Relegated	BPL 7th–10th place
AFC Cup	Paro
Top goalscorer	Ellon Maxwell (39 goals)
← 2018 2020 →

The Bhutan Football Federation implemented a new league structure for this season. The top division is named Bhutan Premier League (BPL) and has featured ten teams across the country. The second division is named Bhutan Super League (BSL) and has featured nine teams across the country, replacing Thimphu League as qualifying competition for the Premier League. The lowest division is named Dzongkhag League where teams play in their respective districts (Dzongkhags) to gain promotion to the Super League.^[2]

Super League

The Bhutan Super League was played from April to June, in single round-robin format, featuring nine teams: five teams from Thimphu, one team from Paro, one team from Phuentsholing and two teams from the Bhutan Football Federation Academy.

Regular season

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	High Quality United	8	7	0	1	34	9	+25	21	Qualification for Playoffs and 2019 Bhutan Premier League
2	Druk Stars	8	6	1	1	30	8	+22	19
3	BFF Academy U-19	8	5	2	1	17	7	+10	17
4	Druk United	8	4	1	3	21	17	+4	13
5	Paro United	8	3	1	4	17	25	−8	10	Qualification for 2019 Bhutan Premier League[a]
6	Phuentsholing United	8	3	0	5	15	20	−5	9
7	FC Terton	8	2	1	5	12	15	−3	7	Relegated to Dzongkhag League
8	BFF Academy U-16	8	2	0	6	13	28	−15	6
9	Takin	8	1	0	7	5	35	−30	3

Source: BFF
Notes:

1. Phuentsholing United also qualified for the 2019 Bhutan Premier League as Thimphu, which were originally to participate, were dissolved.

Playoffs

First semi-final

High Quality United	3–2	Druk Stars

28 May 2019 (2019-05-28)

18:00

Changlimithang Stadium

Second semi-final

BFF Academy U-19	2–1	Druk United

29 May 2019 (2019-05-29)

18:00

Changlimithang Stadium

Third semi-final

Druk Stars	1–0	BFF Academy U-19

31 May 2019 (2019-05-31)

18:00

Changlimithang Stadium

Final

High Quality United	4–6 (a.e.t.)	Druk Stars

2 June 2019 (2019-06-02)

18:00

Changlimithang Stadium

Referee: Phurba Wangchuk

Premier League

The Bhutan Premier League began in June and ended in November, in double round-robin format, featuring top five teams of the 2018 Bhutan National League and top five teams of the 2019 Bhutan Super League. Since Thimphu were dissolved, they were replaced by Phuentsholing United.

Teams

From 2018 Bhutan National League Transport United Paro Thimphu City Ugyen Academy Phuentsholing United (replaced Thimphu which were dissolved)

From 2019 Bhutan Super League High Quality United Druk Stars BFF Academy U-19 Druk United Paro United

Personnel and kits

Team	Manager	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor
BFF Academy U-19	Chencho Dorji	FBT
Druk Stars	Kota Namgay	Nivia	SD Eastern Bhutan Coal Company Pvt. Ltd
Druk United	Pema Dorji	Nivia
High Quality United	Bumtap Pema	FBT	High Quality Thangka
Paro FC	Biswajit Bhattacharya	T10 Sports	Druk Asia
Paro United	Otthaphong Khunjit	OCEL
Phuentsholing United	Tashi Rabten	Grand Sport	GT Trading, Madan, Dophu Transport
Thimphu City	Joshua Shepherd	Nivia	Woezer Events, Jebba
Transport United	Nawang Dhendup	Kelme	Kelme Bhutan
Ugyen Academy	Kinley Dorji	FBT

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Paro FC (C)	18	17	0	1	98	14	+84	51	Qualification for AFC Cup preliminary round 1
2	Transport United	18	13	2	3	59	27	+32	41
3	Thimphu City	18	11	1	6	73	19	+54	34
4	Ugyen Academy	18	10	3	5	63	30	+33	33
5	BFF Academy U-19	18	9	3	6	56	26	+30	30
6	Druk United	18	9	3	6	30	26	+4	30
7	High Quality United	18	6	1	11	50	40	+10	19	Relegated to 2020 Bhutan Super League
8	Druk Stars	18	5	2	11	37	45	−8	17
9	Paro United	18	2	1	15	28	137	−109	7
10	Phuentsholing United	18	0	0	18	21	151	−130	0

Source: BPL
(C) Champions