Asiad to Have Floating Village

Accommodation for Aichi-Nagoya Games includes a cruise liner, shipping containers

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TOKYO - Athletes at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan will stay on a "floating village" cruise ship and in converted shipping containers, an organising official told AFP, defending the cost-cutting move.

The plan will see 4,600 athletes and officials housed on the ship for the duration of the Games, which are being held in Nagoya and the wider Aichi area from Sept 19 to Oct 4, 2026. Organisers will lease a luxury cruise liner that will be docked at Nagoya's port.

A further 2,400 people will stay in temporary shelters made from shipping containers a short bus ride away, with the two locations accommodating about half of the 15,000 athletes and officials expected at the Games.

The rest will be in other accommodation, including in Tokyo where the swimming competition will take place.

Local organisers were keen to avoid the cost of building a traditional athletes' village, but Asian Olympic chiefs warned that any alternative must make sure athletes can meet and mingle.