As the WNBA finds itself amid a surge in popularity, the league is continuing to grow.
Literally.
On Monday, the WNBA officially announced the addition of three expansion teams that will join the league in the coming years. Cleveland will rejoin the league in 2028 with Detroit’s new team to follow in 2029 and Philadelphia completing the round of expansion with a team of its own in 2030.
“The demand for women’s basketball has never been higher, and we are thrilled to welcome Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia to the WNBA family,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement. “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.”
News of the new teams in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia means that the WNBA will be expanding from its current 13-team setup to a total of 18 teams over the course of the next five years. In addition to the Golden State Valkyries, who are currently enjoying their debut season, the league previously announced plans to add teams in Toronto and Portland in 2026.
The WNBA’s rapid expansion underscores not only the league’s own popularity, but the recent rise of women’s sports at large. It’s also worth noting that the W’s latest round of expansion will include returns to Cleveland and Detroit, which previously possessed WNBA teams in the Rockers (1997-2003) and Shock (1998-2009), respectively.
After initially growing from eight teams to 16 from 1997-2002, the WNBA consisted of 12 teams from 2010-2024 after multiple teams were either contracted or ceased operations. Now the league is set to lay claim to the most teams it has ever had, with no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.