Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia are officially joining the WNBA family.
The league and the NBA Board of Governors have formally authorized three new expansion franchises, marking a major milestone in the effort to bring women’s professional basketball to more markets. While these cities have been in the conversation for months, this week’s approval locks in the official debut years. Cleveland will hit the court first in 2028, with a highly anticipated Detroit return following in 2029, and Philadelphia joining the ranks in 2030.
The expansion plan is moving fast to keep up with the sport’s massive popularity. By the time Philadelphia tips off, the league will have grown to 18 teams. This is a huge jump from the 13 teams that competed just last year. This growth is happening alongside the debut of two other new teams, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, who are currently preparing for their first season this May.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert shared her excitement about the interest from new cities, stating, “Great demand for WNBA franchises. There was huge demand. Really proud of what my team has done. Looking forward to future conversations as the league continues to grow.”
The timing of this expansion couldn’t be better for the players. The league recently reached a historic seven-year collective bargaining agreement that fundamentally changes how players are paid. Under the new deal, the average salary is jumping to $583,000, and top stars can now earn up to $1.4 million.
Nneka Ogwumike, President of the WNBPA, spoke about the importance of these changes: “We love this game enough to push for what it can become, not just for ourselves, but for those who built this league and those who will carry it forward.”
As the league heads toward the draft on April 13 and the season opener in early May, the energy is at an all-time high. With rosters expanding to 12 spots and new cities joining the map, the WNBA is in the middle of its most significant transformation yet.
Fans in the new expansion cities are already showing up, with Philadelphia launching social media pages and Cleveland and Detroit prepping for their own homecomings.
