The Asian Games 2026 have been hit by an unexpected accommodation crisis in Nagoya, with several Indian athletes reportedly left waiting for rooms for hours after arriving in Japan. Indian MMA fighter Varun Sanyal confirmed the disruption, revealing that he himself had been waiting for seven hours as organisers struggled to resolve accommodation and transportation issues.
Sanyal, who will represent India in the traditional MMA 77kg category, took to X to confirm reports of athletes being stranded. “I can confirm this is true... I'm currently on 7 hours and counting,” he wrote. The delay came after a system failure reportedly affected athlete information, with some competitors unable to board their designated shuttles.
The situation has affected several members of the Indian contingent, with some athletes reportedly waiting for more than 14 hours before their accommodation was sorted. Athletes were provided drinking water during the wait, but the prolonged uncertainty over rooms and transportation added to the difficulties for competitors arriving in Japan just days before their events.
India are not the only delegation facing problems. Athletes from Vietnam, China, South Korea and Thailand have also reportedly encountered accommodation difficulties in Nagoya. Thailand's national sepak takraw team was among those caught up in the chaos after their accommodation details were missing from the system, leaving members waiting in the lobby of the Costa Serena cruise ship before temporary arrangements were made.
The accommodation situation has added to the logistical challenges surrounding the Games, with athletes spread across cruise ships, container-style accommodation and hotels instead of a conventional athletes' village. The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games officially begin on September 19 and will continue until October 4, with organisers now facing the task of resolving the accommodation and transportation issues as thousands of athletes and officials arrive in Japan.
