As the NBA mulls expansion, which has been a talking point for decades, the WNBA has put into action its expansion efforts in a major way. On Monday, the league announced that it will add three new teams by the 2030 WNBA season, with those teams coming to Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia.
That will put the league at 18 franchises, marking a 50 percent increase over a six-year span. The league had 12 teams in the 2024 WNBA season before adding the Golden State Valkyries this year. A Portland franchise and the Toronto Tempo will then debut next year, followed by the latest three additions as the league will add half a dozen teams over six WNBA seasons. Cleveland is set to debut in 2028, with Detroit following suit a year later, and the Philly franchise will join the league in 2030.
