This year, the WNBA welcomed a new franchise to the league, the Golden State Valkyries. Next year, both the Toronto Tempo and Portland teams will join the league as well. Now, the WNBA announced that the league will expand to 18 teams with new teams in Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia. This will bring the total to 18 teams.
According to the WNBA, the Cleveland team will begin playing in 2028, Detroit will follow in 2029, and Philadelphia will join the league in 2030. “Each location was selected based on an analysis of market viability, committed long-term ownership groups, potential for significant local fan, corporate, media, and city and state support, arena and practice facilities, and community commitment to advancing the sport, among other factors,” the league wrote in the press release.
When discussing the new franchises, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said that “The demand for women’s basketball has never been higher, and we are thrilled to welcome Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia to the WNBA family.”
She continued, “This historic expansion is a powerful reflection of our league’s extraordinary momentum, the depth of talent across the game, and the surging demand for investment in women’s professional basketball. I am deeply grateful for our new owners and ownership groups – Dan Gilbert in Cleveland, Tom Gores in Detroit, and Josh Harris, David Blitzer, David Adelman, and Brian Roberts in Philadelphia – for their belief in the WNBA’s future and their commitment to building thriving teams that will energize and inspire their communities. We are excited for what these cities will bring to the league – and are confident that these new teams will reshape the landscape of women’s basketball.”