Bhutanese women in football: Sangita Mongar joins Sesa Academy

2026-03-08 - 10:45

Bhutanese women are increasingly making their mark on the international stage. Four players are now playing for clubs abroad, with national team goalkeeper Sangita Mongar becoming the latest to join India’s Sesa Football Academy. Sangita’s journey in football began at the age of 13. She developed an interest in the sport after watching her classmates play at school. She later started playing with her brother, whose passion for football inspired her to take the game more seriously. Her talent was soon recognised when she was selected to train at Gelephu Academy from 2017 to 2019. In 2019, Sangita made her debut for the Bhutan senior women’s national team during the SAFF Championship. Since then, she has represented the country in 19 international matches. One of the highlights of her career came in 2023, when Bhutan finished as the first runner-up in a friendly tournament held in Saudi Arabia. Sangita was also a part of the Bhutan team that won a bronze medal at the SAFF Women’s Futsal Championship in Thailand earlier this year. Before joining Sesa Football Academy, Sangita played for Ugyen Academy Football Club for five years. “I got this opportunity to play in the SESA Football Academy through my friend Jivanti. She is playing for the Sesa Football Academy. She came to Bhutan to play for Transport United Ladies last year for the National Women’s Championship. Through her recommendation, I got this opportunity.” She says the opportunity will help her improve her technical and tactical skills. As she begins this new chapter in India, Sangita hopes her journey will encourage more young girls in Bhutan to take up football and chase their dreams. Namgay Wangdi