NEW YORK :The WNBA announced new franchises to Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia on Monday, rapidly advancing expansion plans in the top-flight North American women’s league.
Cleveland will begin play in 2028, while Detroit will join in 2029 and Philadelphia is expected to launch in 2030.
“These are proud cities with powerful sports legacies,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert told reporters on Monday.
“They join the most elite women’s sports league in the world. This is far more than an expansion of our league, it’s an evolution of it.”
The WNBA has enjoyed a surge of new viewership and attendance in recent years, buoyed by the growing popularity of women’s sports worldwide and the rise of big names like Indiana Fever sharpshooter Caitlin Clark and Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese.
The WNBA has ridden that wave of popularity to rapid expansion, after previously resisting longstanding calls from fans and players to add more teams.
The Golden State Valkyries debuted this year – the league’s first new team since 2008 – to huge enthusiasm from fans. Two more expansion teams in Portland and Toronto are expected to begin play in 2026.
Engelbert previously said she hoped to add a 16th team by 2028 and the bid by Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert for Cleveland was widely expected to get the green light, amid a crowded field of competing bids, including groups in Nashville, Houston, Denver and Miami.
“As we got into the process and looked at the high demand for cities that wanted to WNBA teams, it made sense to do three and get to 18,” said Engelbert.
It will be the first time that a WNBA team has been based in Philadelphia, while Cleveland and Detroit previously hosted franchises. All three teams are NBA-affiliated, sharing majority owners with their men’s league counterparts, the 76ers, Cavaliers and Pistons, respectively.
“Bringing the WNBA to Philly wasn’t just a ‘nice to have’ – it was an obligation,” said Sixers owner Josh Harris. “We have an opportunity to build something special. A team that girls across the region can root for and be inspired by.”
Cleveland was among the eight original markets included in the WNBA when the league launched in 1997 but the team – the Cleveland Rockers – folded in 2003, with owners citing financial concerns.
The Detroit Shock launched in 1998 but relocated to Tulsa after the 2009 season. The team later moved, again, to Dallas.
