Basic facts
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2018 |
| Country | Bhutan |
| City | Paro |
| Nickname | The Tigers |
| Home ground | Woochu Sports Arena |
| League | Bhutan Premier League |
| City represented | Paro |
Home ground
| Ground | Location / Use |
|---|---|
| Woochu Sports Arena | Paro, Bhutan |
Main trophies
| Competition | Titles | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Bhutan Premier League / National League | 7 | 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 |
| Jigme Dorji Wangchuk Memorial Gold Cup | 1 | 2019 |
Paro FC has won seven Bhutanese national league championships, including six consecutive titles from 2021 through 2026. The club also won the Jigme Dorji Wangchuk Memorial Gold Cup in 2019.
Club records
| Record | Record / Achievement |
|---|---|
| National league titles | 7 |
| First national title | 2019 |
| Latest national title | 2026 |
| Longest title-winning run | 2021-2026 |
| Best single-season league record | 17 wins, 0 draws, 1 loss in 2019 |
| Most goals in a league season | 98 goals in 2019 |
| Best AFC Challenge League run | Group stage |
History
Paro FC was founded in 2018 in Paro, Bhutan. The club entered the National League in the same year and immediately showed that it could compete with the country's established teams. Paro finished second in the 2018 National League, narrowly behind champions Transport United.
The 2018 breakthrough
Paro FC's first national-level campaign ended with the club finishing as runners-up. In 10 matches, Paro recorded six wins and four defeats, scoring 19 goals and conceding 12. The 18 points earned were enough for second place, giving the newly established club an immediate platform for its rise to the top of Bhutanese football.
| 2018 statistic | Record |
|---|---|
| Matches | 10 |
| Wins | 6 |
| Draws | 0 |
| Losses | 4 |
| Goals scored | 19 |
| Goals conceded | 12 |
| Points | 18 |
| Position | 2nd |
The 2019 title-winning season
Paro FC completed one of the most impressive campaigns in Bhutanese football history in 2019. The club won the Premier League title with 17 victories from 18 matches, suffering only one defeat. Paro scored 98 goals and conceded just 14, finishing on 51 points and ten points clear of second-placed Transport United.
The 2019 campaign also produced Paro's first major national championship and established the club as a new power in Bhutanese football. The team followed its league success by winning the Jigme Dorji Wangchuk Memorial Gold Cup in the same year.
| 2019 statistic | Record |
|---|---|
| Matches | 18 |
| Wins | 17 |
| Draws | 0 |
| Losses | 1 |
| Goals scored | 98 |
| Goals conceded | 14 |
| Points | 51 |
| Position | 1st |
2020 title defence challenge
Paro FC entered the 2020 Premier League as defending champions but finished third. The club recorded nine wins and five defeats in 14 matches, scoring 47 goals and conceding 20. Thimphu City won the championship, while Paro remained one of the leading teams in the competition.
Return to the top in 2021
Paro FC returned to first place in 2021. The club finished the season with 14 wins, three draws and one defeat from 18 matches. It scored 60 goals and conceded only 11, finishing with 45 points, two points ahead of Thimphu City.
Three consecutive titles from 2021 to 2023
Paro's success continued in 2022 and 2023. In 2022, the club completed an unbeaten league campaign, winning 15 matches and drawing three. Paro scored 65 goals and conceded only eight, finishing with 48 points.
The club successfully defended the title again in 2023. Paro finished first with 16 wins, one draw and one defeat, scoring 79 goals and conceding 14. The 49 points earned were seven more than second-placed Thimphu City.
2024 championship
Paro FC continued its dominance in 2024, winning another Bhutan Premier League title. The club finished with 15 wins, two draws and one defeat, scoring 81 goals and conceding only 17. Its 47 points placed it six points ahead of Transport United.
2025 championship
Paro FC won the Bhutan Premier League again in 2025. The Tigers finished the campaign with 16 wins, one draw and one defeat from 18 matches. They scored 74 goals and conceded 17, collecting 49 points to finish six points ahead of Thimphu City.
2026 and another league title
Paro FC continued its remarkable run in 2026. The club was listed as champion after another outstanding Premier League campaign. The official Paro FC standings show the team at the top with 46 points from 17 matches, including 15 wins, one draw and one defeat, with 72 goals scored and 12 conceded.
| 2026 statistic | Record |
|---|---|
| Matches | 17 |
| Wins | 15 |
| Draws | 1 |
| Losses | 1 |
| Goals scored | 72 |
| Goals conceded | 12 |
| Points | 46 |
| Position | 1st |
League statistics
League record
| Statistic | Record |
|---|---|
| National league titles | 7 |
| First participation | 2018 |
| First title | 2019 |
| Latest title | 2026 |
| Runner-up finishes | 2018 |
| Consecutive titles | 6, from 2021 to 2026 |
All seasons
| Season | League | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | National League | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 19 | 12 | 18 | 2nd | Runners-up |
| 2019 | Premier League | 18 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 98 | 14 | 51 | 1st | Champions |
| 2020 | Premier League | 14 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 47 | 20 | 27 | 3rd | Defending champions |
| 2021 | Premier League | 18 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 60 | 11 | 45 | 1st | Champions |
| 2022 | Premier League | 18 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 65 | 8 | 48 | 1st | Champions |
| 2023 | Premier League | 18 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 79 | 14 | 49 | 1st | Champions |
| 2024 | Premier League | 18 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 81 | 17 | 47 | 1st | Champions |
| 2025 | Premier League | 18 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 74 | 17 | 49 | 1st | Champions |
| 2026 | Premier League | 17 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 72 | 12 | 46 | 1st | Champions |
Key: P = Played, W = Wins, D = Draws, L = Losses, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points.
2026 note: The latest available records list Paro FC as the 2026 Bhutan Premier League champions. The club's official standings show Paro first with 46 points from 17 matches, while Thimphu City had 40 points from 17 matches.
Continental record
Paro FC has represented Bhutan in several AFC competitions. Its continental journey began with the AFC Cup in 2020 after winning the national championship in 2019. The club has since appeared in the AFC Cup and AFC Challenge League, including group-stage football in the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons.
| Season | Competition | Round | Opponent | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | AFC Cup | Preliminary round | Defenders / Bengaluru | Reached preliminary round 2 |
| 2022 | AFC Cup | Preliminary round | Club Valencia | Lost 1-2 after extra time |
| 2023-24 | AFC Cup | Preliminary round | Machhindra FC | Lost 2-3 |
| 2024-25 | AFC Challenge League | Group stage | East Bengal, Nejmeh, Bashundhara Kings | 3rd in group |
| 2025-26 | AFC Challenge League | Group stage | Al-Shabab, Altyn Asyr, Abdysh-Ata | 4th in group |
2024 and Keisuke Honda
Paro FC attracted international attention in 2024 when Japanese football star Keisuke Honda joined the club on a one-match contract for its AFC Challenge League playoff against Church Boys United of Nepal. Paro won the match 2-1 and progressed to the group stage of the competition.
The appearance became one of the most notable moments in the club's short history, bringing additional international attention to Bhutanese club football.
2024-25 AFC Challenge League
Paro FC reached the group stage of the AFC Challenge League in 2024-25. The club played East Bengal, Nejmeh and Bashundhara Kings, finishing third in its group. It recorded a 2-2 draw with East Bengal and a 2-1 victory over Bashundhara Kings.
2025-26 AFC Challenge League
Paro returned to the AFC Challenge League in the following season. After defeating Abu Muslim 1-0 in the preliminary stage, the Bhutanese champions reached the group stage, where they faced Al-Shabab, Altyn Asyr and Abdysh-Ata.
Paro FC achievements and records
| Achievement | Details |
|---|---|
| First national title | 2019 |
| National league titles | 7 |
| Consecutive titles | 6 from 2021 to 2026 |
| 2019 league goals | 98 |
| 2019 points | 51 |
| Unbeaten league season | 2022 |
| AFC Challenge League group stages | 2024-25 and 2025-26 |
Paro FC in Bhutanese football
Paro FC has become one of the defining clubs of Bhutanese football since its establishment in 2018. The club's rapid rise from a first-season runner-up to a seven-time national champion has changed the competitive balance at the top of the Bhutan Premier League.
The Tigers have combined consistent domestic success with regular appearances in AFC competitions. Their long run of national championships from 2021 through 2026 has made Paro the most successful club in Bhutanese national league history by number of titles.
Paro FC stats summary
| Category | Paro FC record |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2018 |
| National league titles | 7 |
| First title | 2019 |
| Latest title | 2026 |
| Gold Cup titles | 1 |
| Best league finish | 1st |
| Most league goals in one season | 98 in 2019 |
| Best AFC Challenge League result | Group stage |
Conclusion
Paro FC has developed from a newly established club in 2018 into the dominant force in Bhutanese football. The Tigers finished second in their first national campaign, won their first league championship in 2019 and then built a remarkable run of six consecutive titles from 2021 to 2026.
With seven national league championships, a Gold Cup title and repeated appearances in AFC competitions, Paro FC has established a significant place in the history of Bhutanese football. Its continued continental participation has also given the club a growing profile beyond Bhutan.
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