11,000 Feet and Rising: How 1 Ladakh FC is Redefining Football with Purpose

In the chill of -5°C, on a field dusted with snow, football breathes against the wind in Ladakh, not for glamour, not for applause, but for belief. That belief has a name: 1 Ladakh FC. And behind it stands a movement that’s as bold as it is urgent.

From eco-friendly kits launched on the Dalai Lama’s birthday to a squad that took the train to the Durand Cup to cut emissions, this isn’t your usual football story. It’s a story about ambition carved into mountains, dreams that breathe thin air, and a jersey that carries the weight of a fragile ecosystem.

In this conversation with Pixel Sports, co-founder and changemaker Tsering Angmo opens up about building India’s most purpose-driven football club, redefining what success looks like, and why, for Ladakh, the game is just the beginning.

Pixel Sports: You’ve spoken about football being the perfect sport to “help more people.” What did you see in football coming from a Wushu background that made you believe it could shift the landscape of an entire region like Ladakh?

Tsering Angmo: Football is inclusive. It doesn’t need expensive gear or facilities—just a ball and the will to play. Coming from Wushu, I saw that football had the power to connect villages, create structure, and open up opportunities for youth in a way that felt scalable and sustainable for a place like Ladakh.

PS: You didn’t just build a club, you crafted a movement. How conscious was this idea of blending ecology with football from Day 1? Was there a moment when you realised this would be more than just about the game?

TA: From the very beginning, we knew Ladakh’s climate issues couldn’t be ignored. Football became a way to start conversations that schools and policies weren’t reaching. The turning point came when local kids started asking why we didn’t use plastic water bottles in matches. That’s when we knew this had become a movement.

PS. 1 Ladakh FC’s identity is hyper-local, black-necked crane, orange kits launched on the Dalai Lama’s birthday but its appeal is global. Were you surprised when the jerseys became a pop-culture hit?

TA: Honestly, yes. We didn’t design for trends,we designed with meaning. The jersey reflects our region’s culture and values. The global response showed us that people everywhere are drawn to stories that feel honest and rooted.

PS: Football clubs in India often chase results. Your project chases relevance. How do you balance competitive performance especially now that you’re in the Durand Cup with the larger environmental and cultural mission?

TA: We believe that performance and purpose can co-exist. Competing at the Durand Cup is vital for our players and our region’s visibility, but we also make sure every step reflects our values, whether it’s low-emission travel, community outreach, or how we manage our resources.

PS. Durand Cup 2025 is historic, first club from Ladakh, high-altitude prep, and a team that travelled by train to cut emissions. Can you take us through the emotional weight of that journey from Leh to Jamshedpur?

TA: It was emotional at every step. This journey represented hope—for the players, for Ladakh, and for every young dreamer watching. Choosing the train over a flight wasn’t just about emissions, it was a statement that we’re willing to go the long way for what we believe in.

PS. From grassroots tournaments in remote villages to exposure trips in Germany and Brazil, you’ve created a full pyramid. How do you ensure that players from Ladakh can dream beyond the mountains, while still staying rooted in the community they come from?

TA: We’ve built a system that starts at the grassroots but doesn’t stop there. Talent from remote villages gets scouted, trained, and then exposed to the global game. But we keep them grounded through constant community work, school visits, and family engagement. Growth without roots doesn’t last.t 11,000 feet, every breath costs more.

PS. What’s the reality of building professional football in such terrain - logistically, physiologically, emotionally? Have there been moments where you felt the altitude wasn’t just physical, but symbolic of the uphill battle?

TA: Yes, the challenges are real. Cold weather, limited oxygen, fewer training grounds, and travel constraints, it all adds up. But the altitude also reminds us that we are built for resilience. Every struggle here sharpens our purpose.

PS. You’ve already hosted the world’s only climate-focused football tournament. How do you measure success in such initiatives? Is it the trees planted, the plastic saved or something less tangible, like conversations that linger?

TA: Success isn’t one metric. Of course, we track waste reduction and tree-planting goals. But the real success is when young players start educating their families, or when fans message us saying they’ve stopped using plastic. That shift in thinking, that’s the win.

PS. You’re the first woman General Secretary of a state FA in India. How much harder was your journey because of that sentence? And how much more powerful does it make your success?

TA: It was much harder. I had to work twice as hard to be taken seriously. But it also gave me a deeper sense of purpose. I wasn’t just building football, I was breaking a ceiling. Today, I hope my role makes it easier for the next girl who dreams of leading in sport.

PS. There’s a line you said, “In their eyes, I see the dream of being professional footballers.” Who was the first Ladakhi player that made you feel: “This is why we’re doing all this”?

TA: The first time I saw Stanzin Norphal play, he was just 13, but there was something far beyond his age in the way he moved, made decisions, and carried himself on the field. Watching him compete at a professional level so young, with such maturity and hunger, reminded me exactly why we started all this. He represents what’s possible when talent is nurtured, and dreams are believed in even at 11,000 feet.

PS. What would you say to someone sitting in a faraway city, scrolling past 1 Ladakh FC’s climate kit thinking it’s just a “cool jersey”? What would you want them to know about the earth, the game, and your home?

TA: I’d say look closer. That jersey carries the voice of a fragile ecosystem, a young club with a big message, and a region fighting to protect its future. When you wear it, you’re supporting more than a team, you’re standing for the planet.

PS. There’s a photograph of young girls from Ladakh training in -5°C, with a football at their feet and snow in the background. When you look at that image, what story does it tell you? And what story do you hope it tells the rest of India?

TA: To me, it says we don’t wait for ideal conditions, we make them. I hope the rest of India sees courage, strength, and the future of Indian football in that frame.