Bhutan is a culturally rich country and as such, you can expect them to have a lot of activities or traditional sports that are an integral part of their society. The primary Bhutanese traditional sport is without any doubt archery.

Khuru dart throwing in BhutanKhuru dart throwing in Bhutan

They also played degor (similar to discus), pungdo (a bit like shot put), khuru (like the indoor sport dart), Soksum (javelin-throwing), and of course keshi (a lot like all around wrestling). As one can imagine, their traditional sports have the athletics feel that mixes not just brute strength but a high level of concentration as well.

Their modern sport favorite is definitely football and cricket which has increased in popularity among the Bhutanese since the introduction of various television channels mostly from India. They also play other sports like indoor football and futsal. Bhutan’s national cricket team first made their mark in the world when they made the quarter-finals of the 2004 ACC Trophy.

Bhutan has only opened their doors recently and their first Olympic participation was in the 1984 Olympic Games held in Los Angeles, California. Up until the 2008 Olympics, the only game that Bhutan has participated in was archery. But that all changed when Kunzang Choden joined the women's 10m air-rifle event in the 2012 London Olympics for Bhutan. They are yet to take home an Olympic medal, though.

Below are details of sports, sporting events and sports people related to Bhutan. Is there something missing? If you know of something that should be listed here, please let us know.

"Bhutan's sporting culture is uniquely shaped by its Himalayan geography and Buddhist traditions. Archery, the national sport, is not merely a competition but a communal celebration that brings together villages and reinforces cultural identity across the kingdom."
— Robert J. Wood, PhD, Founder of Topend Sports

Did You Know?

Bhutan's national cricket team made the quarter-finals of the 2004 ACC Trophy, marking the country's first significant achievement in an international cricket competition.

Traditional or Regional Sports

  • Digor — a sport from Bhutan in which a pair of spherical flat stones that are hurled at two targets fixed in the ground at a distance of about 20 meters apart.
  • Khuru — a traditional Bhutanese dart game where players throw heavy, hand-carved darts at small wooden targets from a distance.
  • Pungdo (a bit like shot put), Soksum (javelin-throwing), and of course keshi (a lot like all around wrestling).
"The traditional sports of Bhutan represent an athletics-oriented heritage that demands both physical prowess and mental focus. Disciplines like Digor, Khuru, and Soksum show remarkable parallels to Olympic throwing events while maintaining their distinct cultural character."
— Robert Wood, founder of Topend Sports

Bhutan Sporting Success

  • Dechen Dorji won a bronze medal at the 2025 Under-22 & Under-19 Asian Boxing Championship
  • Bhutanese judokas won 25 medals at the 3rd Jita Kyoei International Judo Tournament
"Bhutan's expansion beyond archery at the Olympics, beginning with Kunzang Choden's participation in shooting at the 2012 London Games, signals a broadening of the nation's sporting ambitions and investment in diverse athletic programs."
— Robert J. Wood, PhD, Founder of Topend Sports

Great Athletes from Bhutan

  • Kunzang Choden (shooting)
  • Ugyen Dorji (archery)
  • Tshering Choden (archery)
  • Karma Tshering (football)

Olympic Milestone

Kunzang Choden made history in 2012 as the first Bhutanese athlete to compete in a non-archery event at the Olympics, participating in the women's 10m air-rifle at the London Games.

Bhutan at the Olympics →

Bhutan Sports Trivia

  • First Olympic participation was in the 1984 Olympic Games held in Los Angeles, though up until the 2008 Olympics, the only event that Bhutan participated in was archery.

Bhutan at Major Events

Upcoming Sporting Events in Bhutan

  • 12th Bhutan International Marathon: This event will start in Gasa and finish at Punakha Dzong on the 7th of March, 2026
  • 6th Asian Beach Games: This event will be held from April 22-30, 2026
  • South Asian Bodybuilding Championship: The 16th edition of this event will be held in Thimphu, Bhutan, from June 30th to July 4th, 2026

Annual Sporting Events Held in Bhutan

  • Tour of the Dragon: This event is held in the Eastern Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, which takes mountain-bike riders over 15,000 feet of brutal climbing in one day.
  • The Annual Druk Wangyel Festival: This event is held to honor the 2003 victory of the Fourth King and armed forces.