WNBA: Portland introduced as fifteenth franchise, with debut set for 2026

Spherical up your retro Portland Fireplace jerseys! The WNBA is returning to the Rose Metropolis!

22 years after the short-lived Fireplace folded, the WNBA has introduced that league is increasing to Portland, with the franchise set to debut in 2026.

Final fall, quickly after the WNBA confirmed enlargement to Golden State for the 2025 season, Portland emerged because the main candidate for a second enlargement franchise, with the bid led by billionaire Kirk Brown.

That effort fell by means of, however, virtually one 12 months later, the league will, actually, discover it’s option to again to Portland. RAJ Sports activities, which is led by the Bhathal household, homeowners of the NWSL’s Portland Thorns, will personal and function the staff. Lisa Bhathal Merage would be the controlling proprietor, alongside together with her brother, Alex Bhathal. As Alex Bhathal advised ESPN:

As we had been pursuing the Thorns, we turned very satisfied that the Portland market was a fantastic marketplace for sports activities generally and girls’s sports activities. Having seen the media studies that the WNBA alternative was one thing the WNBA wished to do, however there have been some points with the timing and doubtlessly discovering the best possession group, it turned an ‘aha’ second that perhaps that is one thing that we might do as effectively and create a multisport platform out there and actually cement Portland because the epicenter for girls’s sports activities.

The staff is predicted to play on the Moda Middle, house of the NBA’s Portland Path Blazers. Nevertheless, the sector is scheduled for summer time renovations from 2027 to 2029, which doubtless will outcome within the staff enjoying in Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Alex Bhathal expressed to ESPN:

Our expectation is we’ll be enjoying on the Moda Middle. There may very well be a state of affairs the place we play on a short lived foundation at some place else, the VMC, however due to the indeterminate nature of these negotiations, our base case is we’ll be enjoying in Moda Middle for the seen future.

Bhathal additionally indicated the possession group’s intention to put money into a “first-class, state-of-the-art” coaching facility.

It has but to be decided if the franchise will revive the Fireplace nickname or go for a brand new model. Lisa Bhathal Merage advised ESPN, “On the root of it’s the group. We actually contemplate ourselves vessels. We’re a vessel to carry this staff again to Portland. Group enter is essential to us.” She added:

It’s an thrilling time. It’s enjoyable to have the ability to create a brand new staff from scratch. Our hope is by the spring we’ll have an announcement, however we do in fact have deadlines if we wish to have extra custom-made jerseys with Nike and issues like that.

The WNBA is predicted so as to add a sixteenth staff by 2028. Cities believed to be in rivalry for the franchise are Philadelphia, Denver, Nashville and Miami. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has emphasised, “We’ll look very onerous at what Crew 16 would possibly seem like, however on observe for no later than ‘28 for Crew 16.”

How will the enlargement drafts work?

However first, the three introduced enlargement franchises—Golden State, Toronto and now Portland—should construct their groups.

The league quickly will announce the date and guidelines for the enlargement draft for the Golden State Valkyries. Engelbert advised ESPN:

Our groups do know the way we’re enthusiastic about the enlargement draft. We’ve been socializing it with the GMs and head coaches for fairly a while for subsequent 12 months. Then, the next 12 months, we’ll begin planning that. We’ve received to get this 12 months’s enlargement draft accomplished. … We’ll see how ‘26 performs out. We do have to speak with the gamers’ affiliation and the gamers about that.

The 2026 enlargement draft doubtless will contain extra problems, because it not solely will function two groups, however is also performed below a brand new CBA. If the league or WNBPA select to decide out of the present CBA earlier than Nov. 1, it might expire after the 2025 season. As that’s the anticipated plan of action, few gamers are below contract previous the 2025 season, doubtlessly making a standard enlargement draft tough.