Every four years, something remarkable happens.

Millions of us all around the world cheer wildly for a team of players we've never met. And somewhere along the way, many of us find ourselves rooting for the underdog. Because there’s something irresistible about the small country. The first-time qualifier. The team nobody expected to see on that field. The beautiful game has always belonged, in spirit, to the underdogs, and it is all about the journey to the finals. 

Bhutan has never qualified for the World Cup, just yet. 



But travel to Lingzhi - one of the highest and most remote settlements more than 4,000 meters up in the Himalayas - and you'll find the same game, played with the same joy. Reaching Lingzhi requires a multi-day trek because no road goes there. The pitch is more rock and yak pasture than grass, but every afternoon it comes alive with laughter, teamwork, and dreams.

Between herding livestock and walking hours to school, boys and girls gather to play football in the thin mountain air. They've never seen a stadium. They don't need one. What they need is a school that matches the size of their spirit.

Today, Lingzhi School urgently needs:

Join Their Team

This World Cup season, before the final whistle blows on the winning team’s story, we’d like to introduce you to another team worth cheering for. A team of children who wake up each morning in one of the highest schools on Earth. Who dreams just as big as any child anywhere. Who simply need a school that gives them the same chance to learn, play, and thrive.

This World Cup season, root for the underdog.

Root for the children of Lingzhi.

The Bhutan Foundation has received a platinum rating from charity watchdog Candid and a four-star score from Charity Navigator. These hold the highest standards for evaluating non-profit organizations and advise supporters like you so that you know every dollar is making the largest possible impact.