The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) will add four expansion teams for the 2026/27 season, with new franchises in San Jose, Detroit, Las Vegas, and Hamilton, Ontario.
This shifts the league balance to seven US and five Canadian clubs.
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The expansion capitalizes on record-breaking attendance and growing interest in women's hockey across the United States.
The league recently set a new US professional women's hockey attendance record at Madison Square Garden, drawing 18,006 fans.
Seattle's Torrent led the league with an average of 12,875 fans per game.
Other markets also saw significant growth: Minnesota Frost averaged 8,143, Boston Fleet 5,991, and New York Sirens nearly doubled to 5,095.
Viewership surged 77 percent season-over-season on YouTube, and Scripps Sports network ION broadcast its first live national game in March, later adding the playoffs.
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Corporate partnerships grew 35 percent to 81 partners, while in-arena merchandise sales doubled and online sales rose over 50 percent.
The new California franchise will share the SAP Center with the NHL's San Jose Sharks, tapping into a region that has produced numerous NCAA and professional players.
The Mark Walter Group owns all 12 league franchises under a single-entity model.
International success also fuels growth: Team USA won gold at the U-18 world championships, IIHF world championships, Para Ice Hockey world championships, and the Milano Cortina Olympics.
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USA Hockey now reports 100,000 registered female players, with Nevada registrations up 600 percent since 2017.
