Toronto Awarded New WNBA Team Starting in 2026

The WNBA and women’s game continues to get more popular. They are continuing to expand and now they’re venturing outside the United States. Toronto has been awarded the WNBA’s first franchise outside the United States. The expansion team will begin play in 2026. Larry Tanenbaum-led Kilmer Sports Ventures is paying $115 million for the team. Tanenbaum also is the chairman and a minority owner of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, the Toronto sports giant that owns the NHL’s Maple Leafs and NBA’s Raptors along with Toronto’s MLS and Canadian Football League franchises. Toronto will be the WNBA’s 14th franchise, with the expansion Golden State Valkyries set to start play next year. “Our Toronto sports franchises are thriving, but we have been missing one critical piece — women’s professional sports,” Tanenbaum told the AP.

“The world is finally taking notice of something that’s been there all along — the immense talent, passion and competition in women’s sports. So once again, I saw an opportunity and knew we were in the right place at the right time to bring Canada’s first WNBA team to Toronto. And now we have, making sports history.” Toronto will play at the 8,700-seat Coca-Cola Coliseum at Exhibition Place and will have the ability to move up to the Scotiabank Arena on occasion. Opened in 1921, the Coca-Cola Coliseum also is the home of the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies. Tanenbaum said the team will play some games in Vancouver and Montreal. As far as the name of the team, he said that they would take their time and seek public input. The growth of the WNBA is expected to continue seeing how the crowds are flocking to games after Caitlin Clark’s debut.