A WNBA expansion team will come to Portland in 2026.
Source: WNBA
The WNBA is adding its 15th team in Portland, the third new franchise as part of its recent expansion, the league announced Wednesday.
The Portland team, which was not named in the WNBA announcement, is scheduled to begin play in 2026 and will be owned and operated by sports-focused investment firm RAJ Sports, with Lisa Bassal Merage as the controlling owner and governor.
“Bringing a team back to Portland marks an important step forward at a time when the WNBA is experiencing unprecedented growth,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement. “Portland is the epicenter of the women’s sports movement and home to a community of passionate basketball fans.”
The Portland team plays at the Moda Center, the same arena as the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers.
The team owners will take on board community feedback to help name the franchise, Vassal Merage said at a news conference Wednesday night. They are also working on construction of a practice facility for the Portland WNBA team and a training facility for the Portland Thorns, said Alex Vassal, who will be the acting governor for the WNBA team.
RAJ Sports acquired the NWSL’s Portland Thorns in January and became part-owner of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings in 2013.
The WNBA is surging in popularity and in growth mode, with the Golden State Valkyries set to begin play in 2025, followed by teams in Toronto and Portland in the 2026 season.
Portland previously had a WNBA team, but it closed after a few years in 2002. The addition of a new Portland team underscores the rapid growth of the WNBA and women’s sports in general. The Women’s National Soccer League is also expanding, adding several teams after 2022.
The 2024 WNBA season saw record numbers in both attendance and viewership, according to WNBA season-opening data. The playoffs are scheduled to begin on September 22.
The combination of established stars like A’ja Wilson and exciting newcomers led by Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese has propelled the WNBA forward and led to a significant increase in the value of recent NBA media rights deals.
The WNBA also announced in May that teams would be using charter flights league-wide, primarily through Delta Airlines.