Here We Grow Again WNBA. This Time, The WNBA Is Expanding North of The border to Toronto

After years of not expanding, the WNBA is now on a roll and has awarded the city of Toronto a new expansion team. The team is scheduled to debut in May 2026, one year after the San Francisco team owned by the Golden State Warriors begins play.

Billionaire Larry Tanenbaum, who will own the franchise and is also known for bringing the NBA's Raptors to the city, serves as the chairman of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment. This organization owns several sports teams, including the NHL's Maple Leafs, MLS Toronto FC, the CFL's Argos, and the AHL's Marlies.

"It will happen before the college draft and we'll share more details when we get closer to that," WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert recently said regarding expansion. "Talking to general managers and coaches and teams and owners, there will be an expansion draft this year and it will probably be in December."

The team plans to play home games at the 8,000-seat Coca-Cola Coliseum. Engelbert has previously stated that she wants to expand the league to 16 teams in the coming years, as the new team in Toronto will be the 14th WNBA team.

Clearly, the WNBA is taking advantage of the league's new position in the sports landscape as the Caitlin Clark effect continues to work its magic. From charter flights for its players to a huge demand for streaming preseason games, this is going to be a pivotal year for the WNBA to not only capture the attention of new fans but also figure out how to hold on to them for years to come.