3 min readMar 5, 2026 08:00 PM IST Shipping containers — more commonly stacked at ports than seen at multi-sport events — are set to double up as athletes’ accommodation at this year’s Asian Games, prompting India to prepare its contingent for a stay unlike any before. Leaving nothing to chance, India has begun installing container-style housing units at elite training centres in Patiala and Bengaluru. The idea is to give athletes first-hand experience of the compact living spaces before they travel to Japan for the Games, to be held in Aichi-Nagoya from September 19 to October 4. In a cost-conscious move, the organisers have done away with the traditional village and opted for repurposed containers and a docked cruise liner to house athletes. While some delegations will be housed aboard a cruise liner anchored at a port, others will stay in converted container units. India has already sought land-based accommodation for its athletes, especially those in precision sports such as shooting and archery, to minimise any pre-competition discomfort. A sports ministry official said the …