WNBA to expand to Toronto, per report. Team would begin play in 2026.
The WNBA is expanding north of the border.
Toronto has been awarded an WNBA franchise that would begin play in 2026, according to a CBC Sports report that was confirmed by the Toronto Star. It would be owned by Kilmer Sports Inc. and headed by Toronto billionaire Larry Tanenbaum.
Tanenbaum is a minority owner and chairman of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment, which owns the NHL Maple Leafs and NBA Raptors, among other teams.
“We continue to engage in productive conversations with interested ownership groups in a number of markets and the granting of any expansion teams requires a vote of the WNBA and NBA Board of Governors,” a WNBA spokesperson said.
A spokesperson for Kilmer Sports said there was "no update at this time."
The expansion team would play at Coca-Cola Coliseum, an 8,000-seat arena that is home to the American Hockey League's Marlies and Toronto's Professional Women's Hockey League franchise.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said last April that Toronto was being considered and that she wanted two expansion teams to join the league for play in 2025. The Golden State Warriors were officially awarded a WNBA franchise in October. Toronto, and not Portland, Oregon, appears to be the second choice and 14th franchise. Engelbert said the goal was to reach 16 teams by 2028.
Toronto would become the seventh NBA franchise to have a WNBA team, joining the Brooklyn Nets (New York Liberty), Phoenix Suns (Phoenix Mercury), Minnesota Timberwolves (Minnesota Lynx), Washington Wizards (Washington Mystics, Indiana Pacers (Indiana Fever) and Golden State (team name yet to be announced).