The American Riichi Association is holding an invitational in January 2028 and we’re looking for clubs who can run the event. As we approach the next World Riichi Championship in 2028, this event is set to serve as the final qualifier to help in deciding which U.S. players will get quota seats and represent the U.S. in the international event.

We are seeking a club that is available to host from January 15th-17th, 2028 that has the experience to ensure fairness and integrity in the tournament and is enthusiastic about contributing to the historic WRC in NYC. That means capacity for at least 64 participants (auto tables are a plus but not a requirement at this time), an experienced tournament organizer, and the ability to put together a great judging team.

This is a great opportunity to establish your club in the community, make the invitational convenient to attend for your local qualifying players, and help bring the level of play and tournament hosting in the U.S. to an even higher level. ARA will also be involved in the planning process to help ensure that the invitational will be a success.

You can find the sign-up sheet here to show your interest; no need to have all the details figured out now! Feel free to give examples of past event, ranges that you think you could achieve, and don’t worry about having any kind of concrete agreements in place yet. All of that we can work with proposers to solidify before the location is solidified! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd47DCaHHru5dABB_3jKziKzqM8axzV1UZOviEgRquebl2lrg/viewform

We want to know your club’s experience in holding events in the past, a general budget for the event (ie how much tickets would be if your club hosted) and any other ideas or thoughts you have on the event!

Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have questions about the sign-up form or the selection process.