Asian Games 2026: OCA Caps Contingent Size as Aichi-Nagoya Faces Accommodation Crunch

New Delhi, August 26: The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has advised member nations, including India, to keep their contingents within prescribed limits for the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, after organisers said they cannot accommodate more than 15,000 participants.

India has so far cleared 492 athletes for the Games, scheduled to be held from September 19 to October 4. The support staff contingent is yet to be finalised, with deliberations continuing over the inclusion of sports science and medical personnel.

According to news agency PTI, quoting a Sports Authority of India (SAI) source, the OCA has directed Olympic committees not to seek further additions to the already registered athlete contingents due to a limited number of accommodations.

"The support staff is still being worked out because some federations have not named any sports science experts in their recommendations," the source said, quoted PTI.

Asian Games: Support Staff Cap & Accommodation Crunch

The OCA rules limit support staff to 33 per cent of an athlete contingent. Based on India's current tally of 492 athletes, the country could have a maximum of 162 support staff members unless the limit is relaxed.

However, the OCA has indicated that no relaxation will be possible because of accommodation constraints. The organisers have already received several requests from participating nations for late additions despite the nominations deadline having passed last month.

The Aichi-Nagoya organisers have said the total number of athletes and officials has already exceeded the originally planned capacity. Aichi Governor Hideaki Omura said the organisers had based their arrangements and budget on a capacity of 15,000 people and could not accommodate additional participants.

India will compete in 35 disciplines at the Games, with athletics having the largest representation of 73 athletes. The Asian Games will feature competitions across 43 disciplines, including cricket, aquatics, hockey, wrestling and archery.

Sustainable Accommodation Plans In Asian Games

In a bid to make the event more sustainable, organisers have decided against building a traditional Games Village. Instead, athletes will be housed in container-style accommodation and on a cruise ship docked at Nagoya port. The ship is expected to accommodate nearly 5,000 athletes, while around 2,400 will stay in container units.

The organisers have said the temporary facilities will be repurposed as disaster shelters after the Games.