Behind the Chaos at Japan's Asian Games
Tuesday, October 27, 2026176 words3 minutes210 reads
Athletes reported accommodation and transport problems at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan. The Games ran from 19 September to 4 October. Some basketball players said beds were too short, while other complaints concerned crowded rooms, leaks and cruise-ship services.
Organisers used hotels, temporary wooden housing and a cruise ship instead of building a traditional athletes' village. The number of athletes and team officials rose from an expected 15,000 to more than 17,000. More participants and separate accommodation locations made planning and travel harder.
Teams reported missing buses, delays and wrong destinations. South Korea's men's basketball team missed training when its bus failed to arrive. Before a hockey match against Bangladesh, organisers also played North Korea's anthem instead of South Korea's. They apologised. This was a separate mistake, not something explained by accommodation choices alone.
Nagoya's mayor apologised and cited human errors and poor communication with teams. Organisers said they were responding to complaints. However, some athletes were satisfied with their hotels, and sporting events continued. The problems did not describe everyone's experience.
