NAGOYA, Japan — Just days before the 2026 Asian Games officially open in Japan, an accommodation controversy is threatening to overshadow preparations for one of Asia’s biggest sporting events, with South Korea warning of a “serious shortage” of rooms and some Philippine officials reportedly turning to hotels and Airbnb.
The 20th Asian Games will officially open on September 19 in Aichi and Nagoya and run through October 4, bringing together more than 17,000 registered athletes and officials. Unlike previous editions, however, organizers opted against constructing a conventional, centralized athletes’ village.
Instead, competitors and officials are being distributed among existing hotels, a large cruise ship and temporary prefabricated accommodation near Nagoya Port — an unconventional arrangement designed partly to reduce construction costs and the environmental footprint of the Games.
But with the opening ceremony approaching, concerns are mounting over whether that strategy can handle the massive influx of participants.
South Korea Raises Alarm Over Accommodation
The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee said there was a “serious shortage of accommodation” affecting not only its delegation but other teams arriving in the Aichi-Nagoya region.
South Korean officials said they were working to resolve the problems as athletes continued arriving and departing according to their competition schedules.
South Korea is sending a delegation of 1,052 athletes across 41 sports, according to SBS News.
Representatives from the 45 participating National Olympic Committees have also raised complaints during meetings with organizers, according to South Korean reporting. One delegation that had reportedly been promised 100 bedrooms in the container accommodation was said to be short by 20 rooms.
SBS reported that organizers were seeking alternative hotel rooms as concerns grew over accommodation availability as well as related transportation and meal arrangements.
Philippines Turns to Hotels and Airbnb
The accommodation problem has also affected the Philippine delegation, although Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said all Filipino athletes had been provided beds.
Some coaches and other officials, however, had to be transferred to different hotels and Airbnb properties, Tolentino told AFP.
There is better news for the Philippine men’s basketball team.
Separate Philippine reporting said Gilas Pilipinas was arranged to stay in a four-star hotel rather than the temporary athletes’ accommodation, with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas helping secure the lodging.
Containers, Cruise Ship and Hotels Replace Traditional Village
The unusual accommodation system is one of the defining features of Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
SBS reported that roughly 9,000 participants are being housed in existing accommodations such as hotels, around 4,000 aboard a cruise ship and approximately 2,000 in prefabricated container-style accommodation.
CNA reported that the Italian cruise ship Costa Serena is being used to house thousands of athletes, while other participants are staying in hotels, including in Tokyo for events such as swimming, diving and equestrian competition.
The organizing committee has promoted the use of existing facilities, movable accommodation and a cruise ship as part of its sustainability strategy, arguing that the approach reduces environmental impact and avoids construction of infrastructure that could become underused after the Games.
But that experiment is now facing a major test.
Leaking Sink Adds to Athletes’ Complaints
Concerns are not limited to the number of rooms.
South Korean basketball player Byun Jun-hyeong posted footage showing water leaking beneath a sink and spreading across the floor of his temporary accommodation.
The video intensified criticism over conditions inside some of the prefabricated units.
Yonhap reported that a typical temporary accommodation building measures around 70 square meters and is designed for as many as six occupants. The complex also includes dining, medical, fitness and retail facilities.
Record Rain Forces Athletes to Evacuate
The controversy comes after severe weather provided another test for the temporary accommodation system.
Record rainfall hit Nagoya last week, forcing around 400 athletes and staff staying in converted temporary housing to evacuate briefly to higher ground.
Nagoya Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa said the athletes were unharmed and that no serious damage had been reported at Games venues, although some leaking roofs were recorded.
Organizers Push Back Against Shortage Claims
Despite the complaints, the Olympic Council of Asia and the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organizing Committee have disputed broader suggestions that registered participants have been left without accommodation.
In a joint statement, they said accommodation had been provided for all 17,000-plus athletes and officials registered before the Entry by Name deadline in July.
The organizations said preparations remained on track for the Games.
That creates two competing accounts only days before the opening ceremony: organizers insist registered participants have appropriate accommodation, while South Korean officials say delegations are still confronting serious room shortages and logistical problems.
With thousands of athletes converging on central Japan, the success of Aichi-Nagoya’s cost-cutting and sustainability-focused accommodation experiment could become one of the biggest stories surrounding the 2026 Asian Games — even before many medals are decided.
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