East. South. West. North. These four winds live in harmony in a mahjong game. And those who master all four of these winds can save their game.

This week, the 20th week of the M-League 2025-26, the winds of change really did come. With the power of the winds, Hori Shingo of the Kadokawa Sakura Knights was able to make M-League history on Friday.

It was quite an exciting week, so let’s get right into it, shall we?

M-League Premium Night

On February 8, fans from all over gathered at Kanadevia Hall to watch the games together. At the event, all the M-Leaguers were there, the seatings were announced live and various goodies were given out, including M-League trading cards.

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Intro | Standings

One must always approach a mahjong game carefully. With every single decision affecting the game, even a single wrong move can spell disaster. But if you approach everything well, then you can approach and even surpass records.

In the 19th week of the M-League 2025-26 regular season, we had players getting strong results and as a result, they approached and matched big M-League records. We also had a player returning after a month away!

Let’s get right into it, shall we?

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Intro | Standings

In mahjong, your wait is the tiles you need to win a hand. Sometimes, only a single tile will give the win. Other times, 3 or 4 different types of tiles can do the job.

This week, the 18th week of the M-League 2025-26 regular season, we had both wide and narrow waits. In a few hands, we had players taking the narrower wait and unexpectedly winning. In others, a wide wait was the key to success, giving them an immediate win with no waiting involved. All I know is that every moment, I can’t wait for M-League to start!

Let’s get right into it, shall we?

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Intro | Standings

Uchikawa Kotaro is a mahjong pro with the Japan Professional Mahjong League. He has played in M-League since 2019, joining the EX Furinkazan at the M-League 2025-26 draft. And right after that, he won the 2025 World Riichi Championship.

This week, the 17th week of the M-League 2025-26 regular season, Uchikawa did something quite incredible, breaking records and reaching scores that only half a dozen players have ever gotten.

Let’s get right into it, shall we?

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Intro | Standings

Starting on Thursday, January 15, 2026, the “Mahjong Live” channel on ABEMA will be renamed “Mahjong 2“

【お知らせ】

チャンネルの名称変更について

1月15日（木）より
「麻雀LIVE」は
「麻雀2」へと名称を変更いたします。

Mリーグ2卓同時放送の際は
「麻雀」「麻雀2」の
両チャンネルでお楽しみください。 pic.twitter.com/fTPl6dj39i

— ABEMA麻雀ch (アベマ) (@abema_mahjong) January 13, 2026

The link for the channel will also differ, now being https://abema.tv/now-on-air/mahjong-2.

The former Mahjong Live channel had previous been used when an M-League game went longer than its scheduled broadcast slot, or when two live games were happening at once. With the implementation of simultaneous games starting this season, the channel was used regularly to broadcast the second table.

This change is in line with the naming conventions of ABEMA’s other channels and also allows the possibility for more channels in the future (Mahjong 3, Mahjong 4, etc.).

In collaboration with World Riichi and the United States Professional Mahjong League, M-League will be hosting two events in the United States from June 26 to June 30.

M.League x World Riichi event!

Join us this summer in the United States for an amazing line up of mahjong stars from Japan in both Las Vegas and New York City!

More details to be published soon but put these dates in your diary! pic.twitter.com/Tqz4jXh084

— World Riichi (WRC) (@WorldRiichi) January 12, 2026

The first event will be held in Las Vegas from June 26 to June 28, while the second event will be in New York from June 29 to June 30. (There will also be a 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 game at MetLife Stadium in nearby New Jersey on June 30)

The events will feature M-Leaguer, including

• Matsumoto Yoshihiro (Shibuya Abemas, NPM)
• Takamiya Mari (Konami Mahjong Fight Club, JPML)
• Uchikawa Kotaro (EX Furinkazan, JPML)
• Okada Sayaka (Kadokawa Sakura Knights, JPML)
• Aikawa Megumu (Earth Jets, NPM)
• Shiratori Sho (Shibuya Abemas, JPML)

Along with other pros, including

• Uotani Yuumi (Former Sega Sammy Phoenix [2018-2024], JPML)
• Yamai Hiroshi (1st World Riichi Champion, JPML)
• Jenn (American JPML Pro)
• Hirano Ryoei (JPML, featured in ASICS Mind Games – The Experiment’ documentary)

The events will feature a 2-day tournament, fan meetings and exhibition matches. More details and registration to come.

World Riichi is the host of the World Riichi Championship, the next of which will be held in New York in 2028. Last year, the organization launched World Riichi Professional Mahjong (WRPM), an opportunity for “dedicated riichi mahjong players to grow their game, promote riichi mahjong and contribute to the wider community”.

USPML was established in 2010 and hosts meetups in the New York City area. In 2017, they hosted the World Riichi Championship in Las Vegas.

This will the second time an official M-League will be held in the United States. In June 2025, M-League players participated in fan meetings and tournaments at the AMOS Festival held in Las Vegas.

The calendar may have changed from 2025 to 2026, but the exciting M-League action hasn’t changed at all! In the 16th week of the M-League 2025-26 season, we watched as players won flushes and baimans and some incredible comebacks. And all this fighting is done for a chance to makes the semifinals, the finals and the championship.

Let’s get right into it, shall we?

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Intro | Standings

Even as 2025 winds down, it doesn’t mean that the M-League action winds down! In Week 15 of the M-League 2025-26 season, we had a lot of exciting surprises. From a bunch of baimans to comebacks to a player getting their first 1st of the season, everyone made sure that 2025 ended with a bang!

Let’s get right into it, shall we?

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Intro | Standings

Though skill is a large part of mahjong, there is always the element of chance. From chance uradora to gambling on the chance at an uradora, sometimes you have to hope that the mahjong gods are smiling down on you to give you the best result.

In the 14th week of the M-League 2025-26 season, players were smiled down up with yakuman chances and uradora wins . And in an interesting case of chance and bad luck, we had a table breaking down quite a bit on Friday.

Let’s get right into it, shall we?

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Intro | Standings

We’re just past the halfway point of the season and the fight for the top 6 is really hot! Today, we’ll look at how each team is doing and figure out what each team can do to find success.

Continue reading “M-League 2025-26: Mid-Season Review”