Booming WNBA says Portland will become league’s 15th franchise

The WNBA is getting another West Coast team after the league announced Wednesday that Portland will become the league’s 15th franchise.

The team, which has not yet been named, will enter the league in 2026. It will be Portland’s second time hosting a WNBA franchise: the Fire joined the league as an expansion team in 2000 but folded in 2002.

“I don’t think we ever have a preconceived notion of whether there was a team there before or not,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert told ESPN on Wednesday. “But I certainly think Portland has proven that they’re going to show up for women’s sports and certainly women’s basketball, so we’re excited to get back into the market.”

The new franchise’s owners, RAJ Sports, also own the NWSL’s Portland Thorns and are investors in the NBA’s Sacramento Kings. Portland has shown a passion for women’s sports. The Thorns regularly draw large crowds, averaging 18,000 fans per home game this season. They’ve also won three championships.

“While we were pursuing the Thorns [before buying the franchise in January 2024]“We became very convinced that the Portland market was a great market for sports in general and women’s sports,” RAJ Sports’ Alex Bhathal told ESPN. “After seeing the media that the WNBA opportunity was something the WNBA wanted to do, but there were some issues with timing and finding the right ownership group, it became an ‘aha’ moment that maybe this is something we can do and create a multi-sport platform in the market and really cement Portland as the epicenter for women’s sports.”

Bhathal added that the new franchise will likely play at the Moda Center, which is also home to the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers.

Portland is one of three new franchises set to enter the WNBA, which has enjoyed a surge in popularity. The Golden State Valkyries will debut in 2025, while Portland will be joined by a team in Toronto in 2026. Engelbert has said the league hopes to add a 16th franchise by 2028.