Contrary to what some people would like to tell you, the WNBA has been thriving throughout the 2020s. In 2025, the Golden State Valkyries opened shop and became the first expansion team since 2008. And for the rest of this decade, there will be more expansions starting this year in 2026 with the Toronto Tempo and the second iteration of the Portland Fire.
So if you’re reading this and are wondering why there are so many new teams, we’ll go over that with you in this piece.
How many teams will be added to the WNBA by 2030?
There will be 18 WNBA teams
in the 2030 season, that’s three more than there are this season with 15. There were 13 teams in the 2025 WNBA season.
Where are the new WNBA teams through 2030?
In 2028, Cleveland will get a team. In 2029, Detroit will get a team. And in 2030, Philadelphia will get a team.
Is the WNBA returning to markets where it left after there was league contraction/team relocation?
Yes. There are multiple teams retuning to markets where there was once a WNBA team. This season, the Portland Fire will mark the return of a franchise that folded after the 2002 WNBA season. In 2028, Cleveland will also welcome back a WNBA team after the Rockers folded after 2002. And in 2029, the new Detroit franchise marks the return of a team since the then-Detroit Shock relocated to Tulsa in 2010. The Tulsa Shock ultimately relocated again and are now the Dallas Wings.
Why were there multiple WNBA teams folding in 2002, and now we are seeing teams in those cities trying to get a team back?
WNBA teams were league owned from 1997-2002 and were only in markets with an NBA team. After the 2002 season, it was semi-expected that NBA team owners would own the WNBA teams. That didn’t happen. Some franchises like the Orlando Miracle, moved to Connecticut and became the Connecticut Sun. Other teams couldn’t find any suitable offers so, the franchises folded. This also happened when yes, if then-NBA Commissioner David Stern wasn’t so supportive of the WNBA, the league could have very well folded around this time too.
As for some markets, like Portland, Detroit and Cleveland getting teams again, times change. The owners for the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers today aren’t the same people who owned the teams in the 2000s. They want to own a team, there is fan support for a team, and here we are.
Are there WNBA teams relocating?
Yes. The Connecticut Sun will relocate to Houston in 2027 and become the second incarnation of the Houston Comets franchise next year. Relocation has been the preferred path when a WNBA team owner didn’t want to own a team anymore and/or if local buyers weren’t stepping up.
How does this affect the Mystics?
For the Mystics in 2026, because of the major free agency period that’s about to hit the WNBA next week, expansion may take away a couple bench players. But most free agents are truly free to go anywhere. It’s hard to say how good any team will be to be honest until we get toward the WNBA Draft in mid April.
The new WNBA expansion teams in 2028-30 will enter a league that is very stable. And those expansion teams will likely be pretty bad in their first few seasons like expansion teams in the men’s professional sports leagues.
It is interesting that there will be a WNBA team in Philadelphia starting in 2030. Sure, the 76ers are the closest team to the Wizards in the NBA. No one would say that the markets overlap there. But for the WNBA, women’s basketball fans in Philadelphia could be willing to trek to Washington to see some games and that could affect attendance for the Mystics somewhat.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
