PWHL Expands to Las Vegas for 2026-27 Season, Adding 10th Franchise

The Professional Women’s Hockey League is set to make a significant splash in Las Vegas, with plans to announce the city as the home of its 10th franchise. A source familiar with the situation confirmed this exciting development to The Athletic on Tuesday, with the official announcement anticipated Wednesday afternoon.

Foley Entertainment Group, the owner of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, has extended invitations to local youth hockey teams for a historic sports announcement. The invite hints at a celebration of the city’s vibrant sports culture and its promising future in women’s hockey. “You’re invited to join us for a historic Las Vegas sports announcement,” the invitation stated, emphasizing the community’s passion and the sport’s evolution in the region.

The new PWHL team is likely to play its home games at T-Mobile Arena, the current venue for the Golden Knights, which boasts a capacity of 17,500 for hockey and is renowned for its electric atmosphere. While there is also the option of Lee’s Family Forum in Henderson, home to the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights, its capacity of 5,567 may not suffice for a league that saw an average attendance of 9,304 fans per game during its record-breaking 2025-26 season.

Las Vegas has quickly established itself as a hub for major professional sports. The Golden Knights, under owner Bill Foley, were the first to pave the way in 2017, leading to a surge of interest from other leagues. The WNBA’s Aces relocated from San Antonio in 2018, followed by the NFL’s Raiders from Oakland in 2020. Additionally, MLB’s Athletics are planning to open a new ballpark in 2028, and the NBA is exploring the possibility of an expansion team in the city for the 2028-29 season.

The Aces have become a powerhouse in the WNBA, clinching three championships in four years and achieving the milestone of selling out season ticket allocations for three consecutive seasons. Their games at Michelob ULTRA Arena and select matches at T-Mobile have attracted substantial crowds, including a record 20,366 fans in July 2024 for a game featuring Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever.

Further enhancing the city’s reputation, the Golden Knights have become a highly desirable destination for NHL players. Mitch Marner’s recent move to Vegas in a sign-and-trade from the Toronto Maple Leafs exemplifies this trend. “Players don’t want to leave,” Foley remarked in a July interview, highlighting the top-notch facilities and the supportive environment that keep athletes in the city.

The introduction of PWHL teams in Las Vegas and Detroit will complement the original six markets of Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Boston, New York, and Minnesota, as well as the league’s first expansion teams in Seattle and Vancouver. Discussions are also ongoing regarding potential franchises in San Jose, California, and Hamilton, Ontario, as the league looks to expand to 12 teams in the upcoming season.

A balanced geographical distribution of teams is a priority for the PWHL, with plans to establish four franchises in the West, two in the Midwest, and six in the East. This setup could facilitate the formation of two conferences and four divisions. PWHL executive vice president of business operations, Amy Scheer, mentioned that the league is actively exploring these possibilities.

As league executives weigh their options for expansion markets, they have encountered a growing interest from various cities. “There is a line of cities eager to have us there, whether it’s for a couple Takeover Tour games or for a full-time team,” said Stan Kasten, president of the MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers and a member of the PWHL advisory board. “We’re going to have news about that in the next few weeks.”

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.