Key figure behind 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup in India passes away in Delhi
March 13, 2026: Veteran sports administrator Kushal Das, former general secretary of the All India Football Federation, passed away on Friday at a private hospital in New Delhi. He was 66 and is survived by his wife and two sons. Das served as the AIFF general secretary for 12 years before stepping down in 2022 due to health reasons. His death was confirmed by football administrator Shaji Prabhakaran, who expressed condolences to the family in a post on X.
During his tenure, Das played a crucial role in the growth of Indian football, including organising the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup hosted in India, which recorded the highest attendance in the history of the tournament. He also helped secure hosting rights for the 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup and the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey said Das’s contributions to the development and administration of Indian football would always be remembered.
Before joining AIFF in 2010, Das worked in international sports administration and finance, serving as chief financial officer of the International Cricket Council and with organisations such as IMG. He also played a key role in bringing Football Sports Development Limited as AIFF’s marketing partner, which led to the launch of the Indian Super League and helped stabilise the federation financially.