Asian Games 2026: Costa Serena Cruise Ship to Become Floating Athletes Village in Nagoya

The 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya will feature an unusual accommodation arrangement as thousands of athletes and officials are set to stay aboard the Costa Serena, a luxury cruise ship transformed into a floating Games Village.

Instead of constructing a large purpose-built athletes village, organisers have chosen to use the Italian cruise liner as a temporary accommodation hub during the sporting event. The Costa Serena is scheduled to remain docked at Kinjo Pier in Nagoya from September 15 to October 4, providing rooms and facilities for competitors, coaches and officials.

The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games are expected to welcome more than 17,000 athletes and staff after teqball and padel were added to the sporting programme. Accommodation has also been arranged through hotels and temporary facilities across the region, while athletes competing in swimming, diving and equestrian events will stay closer to Tokyo.

The use of a cruise ship offers organisers an alternative to spending heavily on a traditional athletes village that could have limited use after the Games. The Costa Serena already includes thousands of accommodation spaces, restaurants and leisure facilities, allowing it to function as a large temporary residential complex without new construction.

The charter arrangement for the vessel is reportedly worth around 4.5 billion yen, or nearly $30 million. Cruise ships have previously been used to accommodate sporting delegations, including during the 2019 Summer Universiade in Naples, where thousands of delegates stayed aboard cruise liners.

Built in 2007 by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri, the Costa Serena has 14 decks and can accommodate approximately 5,000 people. The ship features hundreds of cabins along with multiple restaurants, bars, swimming pools, a running track and wellness facilities.

The vessel underwent a major refurbishment in 2025, receiving upgraded interiors and modern facilities, including high-speed internet connectivity. However, its role during the Asian Games will be very different from a traditional cruise holiday.

For the duration of the Games, the Costa Serena will remain stationary at Kinjo Pier and operate as a floating hotel. Between 4,000 and 5,000 athletes and officials are expected to stay aboard, particularly those participating in sporting events held around Nagoya, including judo, wrestling and archery.

The accommodation arrangement will allow athletes to rest and travel to nearby venues while organisers continue using hotels and other accommodation facilities for the remaining participants.

One potential concern surrounding the floating Games Village is Japan's typhoon season. Severe weather could affect transport networks and sporting schedules, while also creating operational challenges for a large ship docked at the port.

Organisers, however, believe the situation can be managed because major weather systems can usually be monitored in advance. Specific contingency measures have not been publicly detailed, but officials remain confident that the logistical and financial advantages of the arrangement outweigh the potential risks.

The Costa Serena is expected to arrive in Nagoya on September 15, ahead of the Asian Games opening ceremony. A traditional welcome event featuring Samurai performances and taiko drum displays is planned to mark the ship's arrival.

After serving as a floating Games Village for three weeks, the vessel will leave Japan following the closing ceremony on October 4. It is then scheduled to begin a 65-day voyage towards Argentina, where it will enter the South American cruise market.

For the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, the Costa Serena represents an innovative approach to one of the biggest challenges faced by major sporting events: accommodating thousands of athletes without constructing a massive temporary residential complex.

For a few weeks, a cruise ship designed for holidays and international travel will instead become home to elite athletes preparing to compete on one of Asia's biggest sporting stages.