Asian Games 2026: Pakistan Volleyball Team Sent To Wrong Venue, Match Delayed

Last Updated:September 29, 2026, 1:01 PM IST

Another logistical blunder hit the Asian Games as Pakistan’s men’s volleyball team boarded the wrong bus and arrived at the wrong venue ahead of their clash with Uzbekistan.

Pakistan men’s volleyball team faced a huge logistical issue on Monday (Picture credit: Instagram @the_professor.15)

The Pakistan men’s volleyball team were on Monday bussed to the incorrect arena for their match against Uzbekistan, forcing the contest to be pushed back by 45 minutes, as logistical issues continued at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

A glitzy opening ceremony did little to mask the growing accommodation crisis, logistical lapses and scheduling issues that have dominated the Games since they opened in Aichi-Nagoya on Saturday, September 19.

Organisers on Saturday, September 26, apologised for the logistical glitches that left thousands of athletes facing cramped accommodation and undersized beds, forcing multiple countries to arrange alternative housing for their contingents.

“This is another mismanagement by Japan at the ongoing Asian Games,” Pakistan skipper Murad Jehan said from the bus in an Instagram video.

A spokesperson for the local organising committee said that the Pakistan and South Korea teams had departed from the same accommodation, resulting in ‘an error in matching teams to vehicles’.

“Each boarded a bus heading to the wrong destination. We sincerely apologise to both teams for the inconvenience. We caused great inconvenience and the organising committee takes this seriously,” Ayumi Sakamoto said.

“It’s basic, but we will again make sure boarding teams and vehicle destinations are properly checked and displayed and work to prevent a recurrence,” Sakamoto added.

South Korea’s volleyball players were forced to cancel their Monday morning practice ahead of their group match against Taiwan later in the day after the latest logistical glitch.

“An organiser-provided shuttle bus took our team to Okazaki instead of its training venue in Inuyama yesterday morning. With too much time lost to turn back, the training was cancelled,” an official from the Korea Volleyball Association said while speaking to AFP.

“We lodged a formal complaint to the organisers through the KSOC,” the official added.

The volleyball team went on to defeat Taiwan 3-1.

South Korea’s men’s basketball team were forced to miss training ahead of their final against Japan last week after their bus couldn’t arrive.

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Why was the Pakistan volleyball team’s match delayed at the Asian Games?

The Pakistan men’s volleyball team was bussed to the incorrect arena for their match against Uzbekistan due to a logistical error in matching teams to vehicles, forcing the contest to be pushed back by 45 minutes.

How did the local organising committee explain the venue mix-up for the volleyball teams?

A local organising committee spokesperson explained that both the Pakistan and South Korea teams departed from the same accommodation, resulting in an error where each team boarded a bus heading to the wrong destination.

What practice disruption did the South Korean volleyball team face due to logistical issues?

South Korea’s volleyball players were forced to cancel their Monday morning practice ahead of their group match against Taiwan after an organiser-provided shuttle bus mistakenly took them to Okazaki instead of their training venue in Inuyama.

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