The 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, which began on 19 September and conclude on 4 October, have drawn criticism regarding their organisation. Athletes have reported a range of issues, including challenging schedules, transport problems, and accommodation difficulties.
India's badminton star PV Sindhu stated she was forced to play three matches within 18 hours, impacting her recovery. Pakistan's volleyball team was reportedly taken to the wrong gymnasium before a match, while South Korea's basketball team missed a practice due to a shuttle failure.
Chinese gymnast Zhang Boheng described waiting for hours after landing in Nagoya and experiencing long delays before meals. Some athletes have also called the scheduling biased, with Chinese Olympic badminton medalist Tan Ning alleging that complaints from the Japan team led to schedule changes, unlike their own.
The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and Asian Para Games Organizing Committee (AINAGOC) issued an apology on Wednesday, with Nagoya mayor Ichiro Hirosawa acknowledging "human errors and a lack of communication with the national teams." AINAGOC stated that staff are working to identify the causes of individual mistakes and that operations have improved.
Organisers chose not to build a traditional athletes' village to reduce costs, instead housing athletes and officials in various locations including hotels, temporary accommodation, and the Costa Serena cruise ship. This model has led to challenges such as room allocation problems and complaints about accommodation quality, including beds being too short.
AINAGOC has implemented measures such as tightening booking deadlines for transport, prominently displaying bus departure times, and adopting a more flexible approach to bus departures to address the issues.