The PWHL has announced that the league will be expanding to Las Vegas, Nevada and Hamilton, Ontario for the 2026-27 season.
The yet to be named franchises will play out of T-Mobile Arena in Vegas and TD Coliseum in Hamilton. Las Vegas is expected to hold a formal press conference later on Wednesday, while Hamilton will host their own kick off event on Thursday, May 14th.
“The arrival of the PWHL in Henderson is about more than hockey, it’s about inspiring the next generation of young girls who love this game and showing them that there is a place for them at the highest level of sports,” said Henderson Mayor Michelle Romero. “We’re proud to welcome these incredible athletes to our community and excited for the impact they will have on young players across Southern Nevada.”
The Vegas franchise has already received approval to train out of the America First Center in Henderson, Nevada. The team will reportedly wear Green and Gold as their primary colours in an effort to reflect the natural tones of Southern Nevada.
With the addition of Vegas and Hamilton, coupled with the already announced expansion to Detroit, the PWHL will now feature 11 teams for 2026-27. That leaves the league with a quirky number, leading many to believe that a 12th expansion team will be announced in the coming weeks.
All of that growth is fantastic for the game, but will have serious impacts on the overall on ice product. With what will likely be 4 new teams (50% of the current league) joining the fray as early as next season, the league will need to reinforce the pipeline from the amateur ranks to the professional level in relatively short order.
Fortunately, the PWHL announced yesterday that a record setting 235 eligible players have declared for the 2026 PWHL Draft representing the largest talent pool of prospective players since the inaugural season. The pool will include 23 Olympians from 8 different countries.
It’s great news for a Hamilton market which has had professional level facilities and one of the strongest girls hockey programs on the continent in place for several years now. The city has been clamouring for a professional sports franchise to call their own, with fans having packed the TD Coliseum to the tune of 16,000+ when the PWHL Takeover Tour rolled into town on January 3rd.
“Hamilton and its surrounding communities have long been central to the growth of girls’ and women’s hockey, producing generations of talented players and passionate fans,” said Jayna Hefford, PWHL Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations. “This is a region with deep hockey roots, and the response we saw during our Takeover Tour game at TD Coliseum made it clear that fans in the region are ready to rally around a team of their own. Thank you to Oak View Group and the City of Hamilton for your partnership in bringing the highest level of women’s hockey home to one of the sport’s most dedicated communities.”
Hamilton will instantly form a Day 1 rivalry with the Toronto Sceptres, while also laying the groundwork for a future division alongside Ottawa and Montreal should the league continue its expansion plans. Anecdotally, the team figures to have plenty of local flair as well, with just over 15% of all PWHL players hailing from the surrounding area.
“It’s an exciting time for women’s sports in Ontario, and bringing a new PWHL team to Hamilton is a major milestone for the game, for this city, and for our province,” said Neil Lumsden, Ontario Minister of Sport. “With Ontario now home to three PWHL teams, this expansion reflects the growing momentum behind women’s sport, and this new Hamilton team will help inspire the next generation of athletes and create more opportunities for girls and young women to pursue a career competing in professional sport.”
The Hamilton franchise will sport gold, maroon, and cream as the team’s primary colours. Gold is a nod to the uniforms worn by the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the former NHL Hamilton Tigers, while maroon pays homage to Steeltown by representing the colour of aged steel. The permanent brand identity, including the team’s name and logo, will be announced at a later date.
Photo: PWHL