Tibetan soccer searches for a level playing field

Field of dreams

Basang Tsering established the Tibet Xiangdong Sports Technology company in Lhasa in 2017 to organize sports events. He said soccer is a main focus.

There are about eight official soccer teams in the region, and more than 20 amateur clubs in Lhasa. Regular games are played throughout the year and every four years soccer is featured at a regional sports competition, he said. "About 16 of the teams have good skill levels, and more than 50 soccer games have been organized in recent years in Lhasa," Basang Tsering said.

He said while he does not know the exact percentage, soccer has the biggest participation rate and attendance of any sport in the region.

However, Tibet soccer faces major challenges establishing a commercial base and needs strong financial support to train more professional players, Basang Tsering said.

Tsewang Phuntsok, a former player from Lhasa Chengtou, now works as a middle school teacher in Amdo county, Nagchu. Even though his parents are happy he has a stable job, he wants to play as a professional again.

"Life is short, I think it's important to do what you love. Being a teacher is not for me right now, so maybe I will quit this job to continue my dream," he said, adding he had recently received invitations to play professionally in Qingdao and Fujian provinces.

Despite the challenging future for soccer in Tibet, Tenzin Wangdu said he and his teammates are still optimistic about the future. "I will try my best to do what I can do, and leave the rest to my faith in the Buddha."