Paro FC becomes first in South Asia to earn AFC Two-Star youth academy recognition
Paro FC Football Academy has become the first club in South Asia to receive a Two-Star rating under the AFC Elite Youth Scheme, recognising its high standards in youth football development.
Paro FC Football Academy has become the first club or national football association in South Asia to receive a Two-Star rating under the Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) Elite Youth Scheme.
The recognition places the Bhutanese academy among a select group of football institutions across Asia that meet the AFC's standards for youth development. It also marks a significant milestone for football in Bhutan, where investment in structured youth programmes has steadily expanded in recent years.
Recognising excellence in youth development
The AFC Elite Youth Scheme evaluates football academies across 20 performance areas. These include infrastructure, coaching standards, sports science, player welfare, talent identification, safeguarding, and education programmes.
The programme follows a three-tier rating system, with Three Stars representing the highest level of recognition.
Paro FC's Two-Star rating confirms that the academy has met international benchmarks in youth football development. To achieve the rating, the club demonstrated that its player development system combines football training with education, psychological support, and player welfare.
A first for South Asia
While countries including Japan, South Korea, and Australia have long been recognised for their football development systems, Paro FC's achievement represents a breakthrough for South Asia.
According to the AFC's current academy rankings, no club or national football association from neighbouring countries, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, or the Maldives, currently holds a Two-Star or Three-Star rating under the Elite Youth Scheme.
Years of long-term investment
A senior Paro FC official said the recognition reflects years of work to build a sustainable football development system in Bhutan.
"This Two-Star rating from the AFC is the culmination of years of hard work, belief, and a relentless commitment to building something truly world-class right here in Bhutan. We did not set out merely to be the best football club in Bhutan; we wanted to create a model that the region could look towards and be inspired by," the official said.
International assessment process
The academy underwent an on-site assessment conducted by Takeshi Ono, Deputy Technical Director of both the Japan Football Association (JFA) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), together with Deepak John Nayak from India, who serves as FIFA Talent Development Scheme Project Manager at the All India Football Federation.
The assessment reviewed a wide range of academy operations, including player development pathways, coaching programmes, safeguarding measures, child protection policies, and systems for identifying and developing young players.
Future ambitions
The recognition comes as the AFC places greater emphasis on strengthening links between elite club academies and national youth teams across Asia.
Paro FC officials said the club is already planning further investment in infrastructure, coach education, and youth development programmes as it works towards achieving the AFC's highest Three-Star rating.
If successful, Paro FC would become the first football club in South Asia to reach the top level of the AFC Elite Youth Scheme, further strengthening Bhutan's growing reputation for long-term football development.
