dexinwin NAGOYA, Japan, Sept. 20, 2026— India has turned to its diaspora community in Nagoya for a contingency plan after accommodation problems affected athletes arriving for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
With almost 500 Indian athletes taking part in the Games, Indian officials have asked members of the local Indian community to remain on standby in case hotel rooms and official accommodation become insufficient. Around2,000 Indian familiesin Nagoya were reportedly contacted as part of the effort.
The plan does not mean Indian athletes have been broadly moved into private homes. Rather, the households are being kept as an emergency option if the accommodation shortage continues.
No Traditional Athletes’ Village
The accommodation problems are linked partly to the decision not to build a traditional athletes’ village for the Games.
Instead, organizers have arranged accommodation through a combination of hotels, temporary wooden modular units and theCosta Serena cruise ship. Around 17,000 athletes and officials are expected to participate in the Games.
Some athletes have complained about small rooms, limited storage space and beds that they considered too small. There have also been reports of long waits during the registration and accommodation process.
The organizing committee has defended the arrangement as a cost-conscious approach and has said that the accommodation provided is safe and meets required standards. On Sunday, IOC President Kirsty Coventry also said she was impressed after inspecting some of the accommodation facilities, describing the cabins as quiet and well-equipped.
Around 35 Indian Athletes Affected
India's Chef de MissionSahdev Yadavsaid around 30 to 35 Indian athletes had initially faced difficulties after their names were removed from accommodation lists.
Indian officials responded by booking additional hotel rooms. Badminton athletes were among those moved to hotels after delays in receiving their designated accommodation.
Yadav said India's priority was to make sure accommodation problems did not interfere with athletes' preparation.
Additional transport was also arranged to help arriving athletes reach their accommodation, while Indian officials were stationed at the airport and welcome center to assist members of the delegation.
Indian Families Ready to Help
With more athletes arriving according to their competition schedules, Indian officials decided to establish another layer of backup.
The Indian embassy and sports authorities reached out to the Indian community in Nagoya. Reports said around 2,000 families were contacted, with some volunteering to help if additional accommodation became necessary.
India's first preference remains hotel accommodation.
According to Indian officials, private households would only be considered if suitable hotel rooms could not be secured. The contingency arrangement could provide athletes with a temporary place to rest and eat while waiting for official accommodation to become available.
India's Chef de Mission also confirmed that local Indian households were on standby if hotel capacity fell short.
A Wider Accommodation Challenge
India is not the only delegation to have encountered accommodation difficulties in Nagoya.
Several participating teams have raised concerns about room allocation and delays, while reports have highlighted the unusual combination of hotels, modular housing and a cruise ship being used instead of a centralized athletes' village.
The organizing committee previously said that the accommodation arrangements were designed around expected participation numbers and that additional measures were being taken to handle the larger-than-anticipated demand.
For India, however, the immediate response has been practical: secure additional hotels, arrange transportation and prepare a community-based backup plan.
From Sports Crisis to Community Support
The unusual situation has also highlighted the role of overseas communities during major international sporting events.
Nagoya's Indian community has already assisted athletes with airport arrivals and other logistical issues. Now, if official accommodation comes under further pressure, some of those families could provide temporary shelter.
For the Indian delegation, the goal is straightforward: ensure that accommodation problems do not become a sporting problem.
The Asian Games run throughOct. 4, giving organizers and participating delegations additional time to stabilize accommodation arrangements.
For now, India's athletes have official accommodation, while the Indian community in Nagoya remains abackup safety net rather than a replacement for the Games' official lodging system.
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