Fans asked, PWHL answered: Detroit welcomes expansion team in 2026

The Professional Women's Hockey League is skating into new territory.

On Wednesday, the PWHL announced the league is expanding into Detroit among unprecedented growth, bringing the total number of franchises from eight to nine. Detroit will begin play in 2026-2027 at the Little Caesars Arena, also home of the NHL's Detroit Red Wings and NBA's Detroit Pistons.

The 2026 PWHL Draft will be hosted at the Fox Theatre in Detroit on June 17, offering Detroit-based fans "an early chance to get involved and to watch your team be built," Amy Scheer, PWHL executive vice president of business operations, said.

"This market is ready for its own team. The fans told us so," Scheer added. "We are so proud to permanently join 'Hockeytown' with the introduction of PWHL Detroit.”

Detroit has hosted four PWHL games during the annual Takeover Tour, dating back to the league's first neutral-site game on March 16, 2024, in front of 13,736 fans in the PWHL's inaugural season. Support continued to grow in the city as the Little Caesar Arena hosted three more Takeover Tour games over three seasons, the most of any neutral host city. The most recent matchup in Detroit on March 28 drew 15,938 fans.

"Thank you for bringing your energy and your signs to every Detroit Takeover Tour game," Jayna Hefford, executive vice president of hockey operations, said. "You've shown your love for the sport and a hunger for the team. In Year 1, we read signs that said, 'We want a team.' In Year 2, we read signs that said, 'We deserve a team.' And in Year 3, we read signs that said, 'We've earned a team.' Well, you were right. This team is now yours."

Detroit's expansion team will wear black and silver as primary colors, complemented by white and red as secondary colors. The team name and logo will be announced at a later date.

The Detroit franchise will join the six original PWHL franchises: Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost, Montréal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Charge, and Toronto Sceptres, in addition to expansion teams Seattle Torrent and Vancouver Goldeneyes, who joined the league in the 2025–26 season.

The PWHL is expected to announce more expansion teams.

The PWHL isn't the only professional women's team coming to Detroit amid a boom in popularity and attendance. A WNBA franchise is returning to Detroit for the 2029 season, two decades after the Detroit Shock — who won three titles — relocated.

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