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Athletes at the Asian Games in Japan will have "a unique experience" staying on a cruise ship and in wooden containers, an organising official told AFP six months out from the event, but acknowledged there were concerns about the plan.About half of the expected 15,000 athletes and officials will live in the eye-catching temporary accommodation during the Games, which are in Nagoya and the wider Aichi area from September 19 to October 4 - coinciding with typhoon season in Japan.The rest will stay in hotels, including in Tokyo, where swimming, diving and equestrian events are taking place.Organisers say using the cruise ship and container units are cheaper than building a traditional athletes' village, although they admit the unusual approach has raised eyebrows.Kazuhiro Yagi, vice-secretary general of the Aichi-Nagoya Games organising committee, told AFP that the accommodation would offer "an experience that's difficult to come by"."If people were going to live there long-term, that would be a different story," he said."But in this case it's a very limited period and athletes will spend much of their time training and then come back simply to rest."I would like them to go back home having had a unique experience," he added.Between 4,000 and 5,000 athletes and officials will stay on the Italian cruise ship Costa Serena, which will be docked at Nagoya Port during the Games.The vessel, which features 571 cabins, seven swimming pools, eight restaurants and nine bars, is being chartered at a cost of about 4.5b yen ($28mn), said Yagi.According to the official website, the ship has "an elegant, surprising, ironic and magnetic soul".It is a sister ship of the Costa Concordia, which sank off Tuscany in 2012, killing 32 people.A further 2,000 athletes and officials will stay in wooden shipping container-style huts in Nagoya's Garden Pier area.Some of the units, which Yagi says are "essentially brand new", have already been installed."I've heard some say the space is a bit tight, but from what I saw, they provide an adequately liveable environment," he said.Yagi says athletes will be assigned to a particular type of accommodation based on their sport, not by country.Power of sportHe also says organisers will be ready to deal with Japan's typhoon season."We don't expect extremely large waves but we must be prepared for emergencies," he said."Forecast accuracy has improved and we can generally see a typhoon's path about a week in advance now."Yagi says preparations for the Games are on course, with the main athletics venue set to open next month.He says there has been a "marked improvement" in public awareness in Japan of the event, and tickets started to go on sale for local residents last month.Organisers hope to emulate the success of the world athletics championships, which were held in Tokyo last year in front of mostly sold-out crowds."It was incredible, I was there when (pole vaulter Armand) Duplantis set the world record," said Yagi."It was close to 11:00 pm but no one was leaving, everyone was clapping along."The collective gasp when he broke the record was awe-inspiring, it really made me realise again how wonderful sport is."Japanese organisers are keeping a close eye on the situation in the Middle East, and say that at present the war there is not likely to have an impact on the Games.Yagi says there are no special plans for the Iran team, or North Korea, which is reportedly preparing to send a delegation of more than 260 athletes and officials.With just months to go, he says preparations are going "according to plan"."We are working to further reinforce coordination with the relevant organisations so that we can welcome the Games with everything in perfect order," he said. 

The Board of Directors of the Organising Committee for the 21st Asian Games – Doha 2030 held its first meeting Wednesday, chaired by His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) and Chairman of the Organising Committee’s Board.  The meeting comes as part of the ongoing preparations to host this major continental sporting event in Qatar. During the meeting, Jassim bin Rashid al-Buenain, Secretary General of the QOC and Member of the Board of Directors of the Organising Committee for the Doha 2030 Asian Games, reviewed the main master plan for the Games and its key pillars, and highlighted the latest updates related to the organisational and preparatory aspects, supporting the integrated preparation process for this major continental sporting event.  The Board also appointed Dr. Ahmed Abdullah al-Buainain as Chief Executive Officer of the Doha 2030 Asian Games Organising Committee. In his new role, he will play a central part in overseeing the executive operations of the Organising Committee and ensuring the effective implementation of approved plans and strategies, in line with the highest organisational standards and the objectives set for delivering this major continental sporting event.  The meeting also addressed ways to enhance coordination and integration among relevant stakeholders from both the public and private sectors, with the aim of unifying efforts and ensuring close cooperation to deliver a successful edition of the Games that reflects Qatar’s standing and organisational capabilities in hosting major continental and international sporting events.  Discussions further covered several themes related to the sustainable legacy of the Games, optimal utilisation of existing sports infrastructure, and leveraging accumulated national expertise in organising major championships.  Emphasis was also placed on the importance of adopting best practices in innovation, sustainability, and governance. The first meeting of the Organising Committee’s Board of Directors marks a key foundational step in the preparations for the Doha 2030 Asian Games, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030, and reinforces the country’s leading role and growing influence in the development of sport across the Asian continent.

The formation of the Board of Directors of the Organizing Committee for the 21st Asian Games – Doha 2030 was announced Sunday, chaired by His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, with the membership of His Excellency Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah, Minister of Municipality; His Excellency Abdullah bin Khalaf Khattab al-Kaabi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior; and His Excellency Saad bin Ali al-Kharji, Chairman of Qatar Tourism.The committee also includes His Excellency Jassim bin Rashid al-Buenain, Secretary-General of the Qatar Olympic Committee; HE Mohammed bin Hassan al- Malki, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry; HE Yasser bin Abdullah al-Jamal, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Sports and Youth; H.E. Mohammed bin Khalifa al-Suwaidi, Director General of Hamad Medical Corporation; HE. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz al-Meer, President of the Public Works Authority; and Dr. Abdulrahman Mohammed Yousuf Jolo, Assistant Undersecretary for Financial Policy Affairs at the Ministry of Finance.HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Organizing Committee for the 21st Asian Games – Doha 2030, said: “Forming the Board of Directors of the Organizing Committee for the Doha 2030 Asian Games is a fundamental step in preparing for this major continental event and places us on a practical path toward implementing our hosting plans. This formation embodies the principle of joint national work, which experience has shown to be the foundation for achieving national success. It also reflects the leadership’s confidence in the ability of national talent to organize major sporting events.”His Excellency affirmed that the Doha 2030 Asian Games represent a continuation of the development path witnessed in Qatar’s sports sector, as the committee works to deliver an edition that meets the aspirations of the Asian continent, adopting an approach based on innovation and sustainability that establishes a legacy benefiting future generations. He noted that Doha possesses the experience and capabilities that enable it to deliver an exceptional edition that adds to the achievements of Asian sport.He added that preparations for this edition build on the legacy of the Doha 2006 Asian Games, a milestone that marked an important turning point in Qatar’s sporting journey. He emphasized that its impact remains present to this day, providing a strong foundation from which Doha moves toward a more advanced edition that reflects the status of Qatar, its achievements over recent years, and its ambitions for the next stage.Qatar had won the hosting rights for the 2030 Asian Games in December 2020 after presenting an outstanding bid that confirmed its full readiness to host the Games for the second time, supported by advanced infrastructure and sports facilities that meet the highest international standards. Today, Qatar reaffirms this readiness years ahead of the event, drawing on an exceptional legacy built over the past years.This legacy rests on a system of modern sports facilities, stadiums, integrated training complexes, transportation networks, and supporting service infrastructure, allowing Qatar to deliver an exceptional edition of the Asian Games without the need to construct new facilities.In addition to the physical legacy, the major sporting events hosted by Qatar in recent years have contributed to building a sustainable human legacy represented in the operational and organizational expertise gained by national cadres through a series of milestones that solidified Qatar’s position as a global capital of sport.The Qatar Olympic Committee has played a pivotal role in developing this legacy by supervising sports federations, enhancing governance, improving institutional readiness for hosting continental and international events, and preparing national cadres with strong operational and organizational experience through their participation in hosting events such as the Doha 2006 Asian Games and many championships held under national federations.This institutional, human, and operational legacy forms a solid foundation for the Doha 2030 Asian Games Organizing Committee, as the Qatar Olympic Committee now possesses an integrated system of experience, knowledge, and expertise that enables it to lead preparations for this continental event with high efficiency and deliver an edition that meets the aspirations of the Asian continent and reflects the development of Qatari sport.By hosting the Doha 2030 Asian Games, Qatar seeks to reinforce its leadership in the sports field by presenting an exceptional edition that combines organizational excellence, expanding the base of sports and sporting culture within the community, and building a lasting legacy that contributes to enhancing the capabilities of future generations. 

Total value of contracts awarded in Qatar saw a 116% jump year-on-year this third quarter (Q3) as Doha's successful bid to host the 2030 Asian Games laid solid foundation for the projects market, Kamco Invest, a regional non-banking entity, has said.In contrast, total value of contracts awarded across the GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council) region fell after four of the six countries recorded year-on-year decreases in project awards during Q3-2025 as geopolitical conflict in the Middle East continue to persist and weigh on risk appetite, Kamco Invest said in its latest report, quoting MEED Projects.Total value of contracts awarded in Qatar surged by 115.9% year-on-year to $13.6bn in Q3-2025."This growth was partially driven by preparations relating to Qatar’s successful bid to host the 2030 Asian Games, which is expected to catalyse a vast array of industrial and infrastructure projects aimed at building, preparing, and upgrading facilities for the event," Kamco said.In the first nine months of 2025, the total value of projects awarded in Qatar improved 27.6% year-on-year to $20.5bn.In terms of sectoral performance, the oil and gas sectors led with the highest values of contracts awarded during Q3-2025 at $6bn and $5bn, respectively.Moreover, total value of projects awarded in the power sector reached $2.3bn in Q3-2025, up from zero awards in Q3-2024. Notable projects awarded during the quarter included about $4bn of contracts won by China Offshore Oil Engineering for the Bul Hanine offshore oil field, located 120 KM offshore in the Gulf waters.The scope entails maintenance and increased oil production at the Bul Hanine field, including installation of four wellhead platforms requiring 80,000 tonnes of fabrication work, expansion of existing offshore production stations, and construction of living quarters.The GCC region saw 27% year-on-year plunge in aggregate value of awards to $54.8bn in Q3-2025, the second-lowest figure in the last ten quarters. This downturn was primarily driven by a sharp contraction in project awards in Saudi Arabia, together with a similar weak performance in the UAE, both of which saw significant year-on-year declines in awards during the period.However, contract awards are expected to gain momentum in the fourth quarter of 2025, driven primarily by recoveries in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.“Despite a strong project pipeline, overall project awards in 2025 in the GCC are expected to decline and fall short of the 2024 record contract awards,” Kamco said.Overall, the GCC’s pipeline of pre-execution stage contracts totals $1.78tn. The construction sector holds the largest share of the contracts in the pipeline at 35%, equivalent to $624.2bn, followed by transport ($300bn) and power ($294.2bn).According to MEED, the GCC power sector has at least 29 independent power projects (IPPs) at the bidding or bid-evaluation stages, mainly led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE.One of the notable leading power projects under tender or in bid evaluation in the near term is the 3,000MW Al-Sadawi 2 solar IPP.