Growth in popularity

The popularity of mahjong as a competitive sport has grown quickly. The game is now played in more than 40 countries, expanding since the first World Mahjong Championship in 2007.

"We are committed to promoting the Olympic spirit and advocating a healthy, scientific and friendly mahjong culture," Zhang Yanying, director of the World Mahjong Organization secretariat, told China Daily. "Mahjong is no longer just a game; it is a symbol of intellectual competition, cultural exchange and global friendship.

"Canada's enthusiasm has been unmatched," Zhang said. "With many European countries already hosting (the event), we saw an opportunity to extend Mahjong's reach further into the Western world."

Although the mahjong competition rules established by the WMO have been well received, cultural misunderstandings persist. The negative association of mahjong with gambling is one of the biggest misunderstandings the WMO has been trying to eradicate.

"We need to introduce the ideological and cultural meaning of mahjong and get rid of the bad stereotype," Zhang said.

Zhang said that the WMO plans to expand into South America and Southeast Asia.

The organization also wants to use digital platforms more to make mahjong more accessible to young people.

"We are exploring online tournaments and electronic formats to attract a new generation of players," said Zhang. "Our goal is to give more opportunities to enter a fair competition regardless of geographical or economical constraints."

Zhang expressed optimism about how the sport could be expanded to include live broadcasts, esports elements and online tournament qualifiers.

One of the most ambitious objectives of the WMO is for mahjong to be recognized as an Olympic sport, although Zhang said that the road to the Olympics is complicated.

"Mahjong is fundamentally a mind sport, which distinguishes it from all other traditional sports," he said. "We still have a very long way to go to achieve our dream, but we firmly believe in the potential of mahjong to develop globally."