2027 Mahjong Card: When It Comes Out and How to Order

The 2027 National Mah Jongg League card is not out yet, and the League has not announced its dates. In recent years, the League opened orders around the turn of the year and mailed the new card in late March or April. You order it from the League itself, at nationalmahjonggleague.org. The 2026 card cost $14 for the standard size and $15 for large print, with shipping included in the US.

Every spring, American Mahjong players trade in their old card for a new one. Here is what we know about the 2027 card, how the League has handled past years, and how to make the switch easy for you and your group. The facts below come from the League's own website, order form and bulletin unless we name another source. Where the League has not said something, we say so.

New to the card? Start with our guide, What Is the NMJL Card and How Do You Read It?

Is the 2027 Mahjong Card Out Yet?

No. As of October 26, 2026, the League's online store still lists the 2026 card. The League has not posted a date or a price for the 2027 card.

That is normal for the fall. In its January 2026 bulletin, the League says its committee tests each new card three days a week, six hours a day, from the end of August through the first week of November. So in October, the next card is still being tested.

We will not guess at the hands. They belong to the League, and nobody outside the League knows them until the card arrives. If you want to read what we expected from the 2026 card, our 2026 card predictions post is still up.

When Does the New Mahjong Card Come Out?

The League does not publish a fixed release date each year. But its own notices from the last four card years show a steady pattern.

Put simply: orders open around late December or January, and the cards reach mailboxes in late March or early April.

What this means for 2027: if the League keeps to this pattern, expect orders to open around the turn of the year and cards to arrive in early spring 2027. That is a pattern, not a promise. The League announces the dates on its homepage, so check nationalmahjonggleague.org in December and January.

One more tip from the League: order early. Its January 2026 bulletin asked members to "renew today to ensure timely card delivery in early April."

How to Order the 2027 Card

You buy the card straight from the National Mah Jongg League. There are two ways.

1. Online. Go to the League's store page: https://www.nationalmahjonggleague.org/store.aspx
2. By mail. Print the League's mail order form, fill it out and mail it with a check made out to The National Mah Jongg League. The League's mailing address is PO Box 50003, Newark, NJ 07101-8006. Include your name, your address and the exact number of cards you want.

A few rules from the League's order form:

• No telephone orders.
• Shipping and handling are included for US orders.
• Outside the US, postage must be added, and mail orders must be paid by US bank check.
• Sales tax applies to orders shipped to some states. The form lists them.
• Prices are subject to change.

Your card order also makes you a member of the League for the year. The January 2026 bulletin says the $14 and $15 prices include a membership card and the bulletin.

Formats and Prices

Here is what the League sold for the 2026 card. It has not posted 2027 prices yet.

The League raised its prices to $14 and $15 for the 2023 card. For 2026, its store said "the price remains $14 for Standard and $15 for Large Print Cards."

The Mega Card is the League's answer for players with vision problems. If you squint at the standard card, try the large print card first, and the Mega Card if you need more. The League also sells clear plastic card holders, $9 for the standard size and $10 for the large size.

Buy From the League, Not a Reseller

In April 2024, the League posted a warning on its homepage: "BEWARE of counterfeit cards on the internet. Official NMJL cards are delivered in April every year." If someone offers the new card, or its hands, before the League mails it, be careful.

Buying from the League also supports its giving. In its January 2026 bulletin, the League says the charities chosen by its collectors would receive more than $1 million from the League that year.

Why Everyone Switches Cards at the Same Time

American Mahjong is different from other kinds of mahjong because the winning hands change every year. In the League's words, "Each year the League changes the hands and rules to add more excitement to the game." The back of the card carries the rules, and the League's bulletin explains new ones.

That is why everyone switches together. A game only works if all four players are playing the same card. A hand that wins on one year's card may not appear on the next. If one player at the table is using last year's card, the game breaks down.

The calendar lines up, too. The League's membership year runs from April 1 to March 31. Its order form for the 2026 card is an "application for membership ending March 31, 2027." The new card is mailed to arrive right around the start of that year, so players everywhere change cards in early spring.

If you play in tournaments, check which card each event uses, especially for events near the changeover.

What to Do With Your Old Card

We could not find official League advice on old cards. Here are a few ideas.

• Keep playing it until your group switches. Until the new cards arrive, the current card is the one to play.
• Put it away once you switch. Check the year on each card so the old one never ends up at the table.
• Keep it for reference. Old cards are good for practicing how to read the notation, and a stack of them shows how the game changes from year to year.
• Reuse your holder. If you have a plastic card holder, check that it fits your new card's size before you order a new one.

How Clubs and Teachers Handle the Switchover

A new card is one of the best things that happens to a mahjong group all year. Everyone starts on the same page, and even long-time players are learning again. A little planning makes the change smooth.

For clubs and groups:

1. Remind members to order early. Send a note when the League opens orders, usually around December or January. Include the link to the League's store.
2. Think about a group order. The League has collectors, players who gather memberships from other players. Its January 2026 bulletin says players who collected 35 or more memberships received a League donation to their favorite charity. Contact the League to ask how it works.
3. Pick a first night on the new card. Wait until most members have their cards, then announce the date so nobody shows up with the wrong one.
4. Hold a card study night. Walk through the new card section by section before you play for keeps. Our guide on how to read the NMJL card is a good handout.
5. Plan for large print. Some members will want the large print card or the Mega Card. Mention both in your order reminder.
6. Slow down for the first few weeks. Expect players to check the card often. That is part of the fun.

For teachers: spring is when "learn the new card" classes fill up. In April 2026, for example, the Boulder JCC offered a two-session class called "Mah Jongg: Learn the 2026 Card," and it linked students to the League's store to order their cards. If you teach, plan your new card classes for April, and remind students to order their cards ahead of class.

Teachers who want help with signups can use Bam Good Time for class signups, waitlists, payments and student rosters, and it is free to start. You can see upcoming classes in our lessons directory.

Quick Checklist for the 2027 Card

• December and January: watch the League's homepage for the 2027 order announcement.
• As soon as orders open: order your card from the League. Choose standard, large print or the Mega Card.
• Late March and April: watch your mailbox. Past cards have arrived in late March or early April.
• When it arrives: check the year on the card, put the old card away, and study the new card with your group.

Find Your Table for the New Card

The new card is the easiest time of year to join a group, since everyone is learning together. Find a club near you in our club directory, or find a class to learn the new card in our lessons directory.

Running a group of your own? Start a free club on Bam Good Time to manage your events, signups and members in one place.