With the WNBA’s growth exploding over the past two seasons, five new expansion teams will be added to the league by the end of the decade, bringing the league to 18 teams.
On June 30, the WNBA announced three new expansion teams in Detroit, Cleveland and Philadelphia. These are all major sports cities expected to attract new fans and expand the WNBA. They join Toronto and Portland, which will join the league in the 2026 season.
As players and fans celebrate, let’s take a look at the new expansion teams
Portland is heating up for next season
In a much-anticipated announcement, the Portland expansion team revealed its name and branding on July 15. They announced their name as the Portland Fire and debuted two new logos. One of them is a red rose on fire, and the other is a red P.
The name pays homage to the original Portland Fire, which had a short-lived run from 2000 to 2002. The returning Fire have garnered more than 10,000 season-ticket deposits. They will play in the Moda Center, where the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers play
Currently, they don’t have a general manager or coach. They are set to join as the 15th team in the 2026 season, and Portland fans are beyond excited for tipoff.
Toronto is arriving next year
The Toronto Tempo is coming as the 14th franchise with the announcement on May 23, 2024. It marks the first time that the WBNA is expanding outside of the United States.
The Tempo unveiled their name, brand and logo in December 2024. They will play at the Coca-Cola Coliseum at Exhibition Place in downtown Toronto. Some games may be played at Scotiabank Arena, where the Toronto Raptors and Toronto Maple Leafs host their home games. The Tempo has also committed to building a new practice facility for the team.
Toronto is ushering in a new era of basketball alongside Portland for the 2026 season, and the fans can’t wait to see this team in action.
Cleveland will rock very soon
Cleveland fans can rejoice with the return of the WNBA on the horizon.
Cleveland was announced as the 16th expansion team to join the 2028 season. The team will be owned and operated by Dan Gilbert’s Rock Entertainment Group. They will play their home games at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, the same arena used by the Cleveland Cavaliers
This marks a 25-year return to Cleveland. The Cleveland Rockers were one of the original eight teams that started the league and lasted from 1997 to their dissolution in 2003. There is currently no name for the team, but they haven’t ruled out going back to the original name.
Detroit is going to shock the world
Detroit will be the 17th expansion team to enter the league in the 2029 season. The team will play its games at Little Caesars Arena, where the Detroit Pistons play. The ownership group is led by Tom Gores, owner of the Detroit Pistons and chairman of the Platinum Equity investment firm.
Detroit’s original team, the Detroit Shock, played from 1998 to 2009. They won three championships in 2003, 2006 and 2008. The Shock ranked top five in attendance for five consecutive seasons and set a single-game attendance record of 22,076 fans at Game 3 of the 2003 WNBA Finals.
The city of Detroit is going to rally behind this team and might set a new attendance record. We’ll find out in 2028.
Philadelphia adds to the collection
Philadelphia will have a WNBA team soon. Philadelphia is the last expansion team that will be added by the 2030 season. The team is owned and operated by Harris Blizter Sports and Entertainment. Philadelphia is planning on building the team a new arena, expected to be completed by 2031.
“We tell the city it’s going to open in 2031. Co-founder Josh Harris said, We’re hoping for 2030.” “So we’re trying to underpromise and overdeliver.” The team is preparing to play at the Wells Fargo Center.
With the demand for the WNBA continuing to grow, there will probably be more expansion teams after these five teams.. It’s a testament to how much people care about women’s sports. The WNBA’s future is bright.
