FIFA President Gianni Infantino sat down with Bhutan's Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay in New York on Thursday, with football's potential as a force for social good in the Himalayan kingdom at the heart of their discussions on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly High-level Week 2026.

The meeting came days after Prime Minister Tobgay addressed the UN General Assembly on 22 September, outlining his government's vision for Gelephu Mindfulness City — a special administrative region built around sustainable development and the principles of Gross National Happiness (GNH) that have long shaped Bhutan's national identity.

Infantino left the encounter full of praise for his host. "I had the great pleasure of meeting the Prime Minister of Bhutan, Lyonchhen Dasho Tshering Tobgay, to discuss football's role in providing opportunities and how our game can bring people together," he said. "The Prime Minister is passionate about our sport and understands the positive impact it can have on his people. We are eager to continue collaborating on various projects and I am pleased that his government is supporting FIFA as well as the Bhutan Football Federation in all our development plans."

A decade of development bearing fruit

Thursday's talks deepened a relationship between FIFA and Bhutan that stretches back more than a decade. Bhutan Football Federation (BFF) President Dasho Ugen Tsechup, who met Infantino as recently as July ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, has acknowledged FIFA's central role in transforming football in the country.

"The progress of Bhutanese football over the past decade would not have been possible without the trust, guidance and sustained investment of FIFA," Ugen Tsechup said last month, reaffirming the BFF's commitment to standing alongside FIFA and President Infantino in serving the global game.

Delivered through the FIFA Forward programme, that investment has funded the BFF's "Home of Happiness" headquarters and training centre, the installation of artificial pitches and floodlights, and the launch of Bhutan's first National Women's League.

Grassroots reach and elite ambitions

FIFA's Talent Development Scheme (TDS) and the FIFA Football for Schools (F4S) programme have extended football's footprint across the country. Bhutan became one of the first nations worldwide to roll out FIFA's Digital Education Programme, reaching more than 400 primary schools by 2028. The F4S programme trained 22 educators and reached an estimated 22,200 children in its first year after launching in 2022 alone.

The TDS also funds two regional school training centres for players aged 12 to 14, providing full-time coaching, nutrition, and medical support — a foundation for the next generation of Bhutanese talent.

At June's BFF Congress, Ugen Tsechup outlined three priorities for the association's future: reducing dependency on FIFA and AFC funding by forging new commercial partnerships, developing local coaching expertise, and relocating the BFF Girls' Academy to Paro as a high-performance hub capable of drawing international student-athletes.

Milestones on and off the pitch

The results are already showing. Bhutan's women's national team entered FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying for the first time, finishing third in their group for the 2027 finals with victories over Singapore and Lebanon. Both the men's and women's national teams also joined the FIFA Futsal World Ranking for the first time this year.

Off the pitch, the Phuentsholing Sports Association Ground is on course to become Bhutan's first fully modern stadium when it opens in March 2027. New FIFA Arena mini-pitches at Loselling Middle Secondary School in Thimphu and Tendu Middle Secondary School represent the opening steps toward Ugen Tsechup's goal of 100 such facilities nationwide.

Infantino closed with a clear sense of optimism. "Bhutan has been a FIFA Forward award winner in the past, and I am certain their good work will help build a bright future for everyone who dreams of playing the game in the country," he said. "I also look forward to seeing them participate in the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival 2026 next month."