With the announcement that the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) will add more teams for the 2026-27 season, this expansion in women’s sports not only creates more opportunities in hockey but also increases visibility for women in sports.

The new teams for the upcoming PWHL season include Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas and San Jose, bringing the league to 12 teams. These additions are the next step in the rapid growth the PWHL has been experiencing. This expansion offers more coverage and development opportunities.

Despite additional teams hoping to increase viewership, expansion creates gaps in pre-established team rosters as the league has to find players both already in the league and/or incoming from the draft, forcing a reshuffling of established player lineups.

For the upcoming season, the league opted not to hold an expansion draft. Instead it followed a complex multi-stage process to fill out the new teams, beginning with each existing team protecting three players. This allows for a competitive balance while providing the opportunity to build teams with diverse, multiskilled players. 

Professional women’s leagues create more opportunities for women athletes to be more visible in sport and media. Participation in girls’ sports is inspiring a new generation of women athletes by promoting women’s achievements in media.

With the cash infusion from the league’s first outside investors, the league is focused on filling gaps in teams while building a 12-team league that remains owned by TWG Global. This exclusive ownership provides the stability to focus on helping players build legacies in franchises instead of being tossed around like a Snakes and Ladders die.

Beyond the league’s expansion, there’s the prospect of the PWHL securing a coveted U.S. broadcast deal to bring in significant revenue while hoping to promote and improve media delivery packages to reach further fan engagement.

The goal of the PWHL is to create a history where players are offered full-time salaries, health benefits and coaching and support staff to promote financial stability. Supporting the visibility of women in elite sports means serving more young girls in sport and bringing them into the spotlight.