Toronto awarded WNBA's first franchise outside US, with expansion team set to begin play in 2026

Toronto has been awarded the WNBA’s first franchise outside the United States, with the expansion team set to begin play in 2026

Toronto has been awarded the WNBA's first franchise outside the United States, with the expansion team set to begin play in 2026.

The team will be owned by Larry Tanenbaum-led Kilmer Sports Ventures. Tanenbaum also is the chairman and a minority owner of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which owns several Toronto sports franchises, including the NBA's Raptors and NHL's Maple Leafs.

Toronto will be the WNBA’s 14th franchise, with the expansion Golden State Valkyries set to start play next year.

Toronto will play at 8,700-seat Coca-Cola Coliseum at Exhibition Place and will have the ability to move up to the Scotiabank Arena on occasion. Opened in 1921, Coca-Cola Coliseum also is the home of the American Hockey League's Toronto Marlies.

Tanenbaum said that the team also will play some games in Vancouver and Montreal. As far as the name of the team, he said that they’d take their time and “solicit public input.”

Kilmer Sports Ventures has committed to building the team a practice facility, but until that is ready, it will train at University of Toronto’s Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport.

___

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball