Sharath Kamal says accommodation will not be a challenge for India at Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games
On September 16, 2026, India’s deputy chef-de-mission A Sharath Kamal said in the build-up to the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games that accommodation arrangements would not be a major hurdle for the country’s athletes. He said the Indian contingent had been briefed and prepared for stays in containers, on a cruise ship and in hotels.
India will send 501 athletes and 265 officials to the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, with participants split between converted shipping-container units, the cruise liner Costa Serena and commercial hotels. Around 4,000 to 5,000 athletes are expected to stay on the Costa Serena docked at Nagoya Port, roughly 2,000 will be housed in converted container units at Garden Pier in Nagoya Bay, and the remainder will be accommodated in hotels near competition venues across Aichi prefecture, with some events scheduled in Tokyo.
Sharath outlined the preparations made by the Sports Authority of India to familiarise athletes with the planned living arrangements. “For the players, by the direction of the Sports Authority of India, we have had some containers built in various SAI campuses, where the athletes got an experience to stay in containers. “And of course, cruise ships, we tried to replicate something like that,” Sharath said.
He reiterated the message that athletes had been informed about the setup and should adapt quickly. “But at the same time, players know what to expect. We have educated them very well. And I am pretty sure they will get accustomed quite quickly,” he added.
The decision to use converted containers instead of a traditional athletes' village has drawn criticism from some participating nations, with the South Korean contingent raising concerns about limited room space and members of the Asian Cricket Council questioning aspects of the accommodation arrangements. Sharath acknowledged those concerns but pointed to the prior exposure Indian athletes received through the SAI arrangements.
Sharath also warned that officials might face a different adjustment, saying they did not have the same opportunity to acclimatise to container-style accommodation. He emphasised that living arrangements should not distract from competition and that performance would remain the priority for the Indian team.
India will compete with established names including Manu Bhaker, PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu and Neeraj Chopra and will look to its hockey and cricket teams, as well as disciplines such as shooting, athletics, archery, badminton, wrestling and weightlifting, to contribute to its medal tally.
The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games begin on September 19 and run until October 4, and India will seek to build on its record 107-medal haul from the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou.