ew York will be the fifth host city of the World Riichi Championship. The announcement brings the championship back to North America eleven years after Las Vegas 2017, while the United States qualification circuit is already running through November 2027.
The fifth stop for a travelling championship
The World Riichi Championship began in Paris in 2014, followed by Las Vegas in 2017, Vienna in 2022, and Tokyo in 2025. New York will be the second United States host city and the first on the East Coast.
The latest edition, held in Tokyo from July 1 to 6, 2025, was won by Kotaro Uchikawa. It also introduced a team competition won by Portugal/Spain.
The United States route is already underway
The American Riichi Association opened its qualification period on January 1, 2025. Open Qualifiers award Qualification Points through November 30, 2027, followed by a 64-player United States Invitational in 2028.
The leading 60 eligible QP scores are due to enter that Invitational, joined by four American Riichi Mahjong League selections. Our United States qualification guide explains how each player’s best six results are counted.
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