Nagoya Floods Ahead Of Asian Games 2026: Athlete Evacuation, Venue Status And What It Means For The Asiad

After visuals of flooded streets and submerged roads from Nagoya went viral, one question has emerged among athletes and sports fans alike: Will the Asian Games be affected?

The short answer, as of September 9, is no. Organisers have said the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will go ahead as scheduled despite record rainfall and flooding in parts of the host city.

However, the flooding has disrupted transport, affected some venues and briefly forced hundreds of athletes and officials to evacuate their accommodation.

What happened in Nagoya?

Nagoya was hit by torrential rain on September 8, with the city recording 104.5 mm of rainfall in one hour, the highest hourly total since records began in 1890. Roads and homes were flooded, while some bus and subway services were temporarily suspended.

Around 3,500 people reportedly sought refuge at emergency evacuation centres as authorities issued warnings over rising water levels. Flooding also affected some Asian Games venues, with water entering facilities and leaks reported from roofs, although no major damage to the venues has been reported.

Asian Games athletes briefly evacuated

The extreme weather also directly affected athletes and officials who had already arrived in Nagoya ahead of the Games.

Around 400 athletes and staff staying in temporary accommodation near Nagoya's Garden Pier were briefly evacuated to higher ground as a precaution. They were later allowed to return once the evacuation order was lifted, and no injuries were reported among the athletes and officials.

The accommodation is part of Nagoya's unusual approach to housing participants. Instead of building a conventional athletes' village, organisers are using hotels, a cruise ship and temporary wooden, container-style units across the region.

Will the flooding affect the Asian Games?

At present, there has been no announcement of a postponement, cancellation or change to the Games schedule.

Nagoya Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa said on September 9 that the situation was not severe enough to jeopardise the September 19 opening and that, based on the information available, there was no reason to expect the Games to be delayed.

“We are not worried about the conditions of the venues and we believe there is no problem holding the Asian Games as planned,” Hirosawa said.

He added that authorities had not yet completed a full assessment of areas outside Nagoya city, meaning the broader impact across Aichi Prefecture was still being assessed.

What About the Cricket Facilities at the Asian Games?

Cricket preparations had already attracted attention before the flooding.

The cricket tournament will be played at the newly developed Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Aichi Prefecture. The venue was developed specifically to host cricket during the Asian Games, with temporary facilities added around the playing area.

There had been concerns among some cricket boards over accommodation and facilities, including reports about temporary dressing-room arrangements and the distance to washrooms. The issues prompted discussions involving the Asian Cricket Council and participating boards.

The situation has since been reviewed. BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla confirmed that India's cricketers will stay in accommodation designated by the Games organisers rather than separate five-star hotels.

He said players would have individual rooms and that the arrangements were considered satisfactory after assessments of the accommodation and cricket facilities.

The Japan Cricket Association has also defended the preparations, saying cricket teams were being offered hotel accommodation and that the facilities had been developed with input from cricket authorities.

The women's cricket tournament is scheduled to begin on September 17, while the men's competition starts on September 24.

When do the Asian Games begin?

The sporting action starts before the official opening ceremony.

The cricket competition is scheduled to begin on September 17, while the formal Opening Ceremony will be held on September 19. The 2026 Asian Games will then continue until October 4.

More than 11,000 athletes from 45 countries and regions are expected to participate. Across athletes and officials, the overall contingent is expected to exceed 17,000 people.

What is the situation now?

The immediate flooding has receded in several parts of Nagoya, with transport and daily activity beginning to return after the disruption caused by the record rainfall.

Authorities, however, are continuing to assess the wider impact of the weather, particularly outside Nagoya.

For the Asian Games, the position remains unchanged, the event is scheduled to proceed as planned from September 19 to October 4.