The WNBA announced Wednesday it has awarded an expansion franchise to the City of Portland that will begin play in 2026. (More Sports News)
Portland joins the California Bay Area and Toronto as new franchises set to enter the WNBA within the next two years, bringing the league to 15 teams. The Golden State Valkyries will debut in 2025, with Portland and Toronto starting the following season.
The Portland franchise will be owned and operated by the Bhathal family, which paid $125 million for the club. Lisa Bhathal Merage will serve as controlling owner and WNBA Governor, while Alex Bhathal was named Alternate Governor.
바카라For decades, Portland has been the global epicentre of sports lifestyle and today, we are now the global epicentre of women바카라s sports,바카라 said Lisa Bhathal Merage. 바카라We believe in the transformative power of women바카라s sports and are thrilled that the W will call Portland home.
"We know that Portland바카라s vibrant and diverse communities will highly support and rally around this team. Our goal is to grow this organisation in partnership with the Portland community, and we look forward to supporting the best women바카라s basketball players in the world when they take the floor at the Moda Center in 2026.바카라
The Bhathals also own the National Women's Soccer League's Portland Thorns and are investors in the NBA's Sacramento Kings.
Portland previously had a WNBA team, known as the Fire, that folded after three seasons in 2002.
바카라As the WNBA builds on a season of unprecedented growth, bringing a team back to Portland is another important step forward,바카라 said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. 바카라Portland has been an epicentre of the women바카라s sports movement and is home to a passionate community of basketball fans. Pairing this energy with the Bhathal family바카라s vision of leading top-flight professional sports teams will ensure that we deliver a premier WNBA team to the greater Portland area.바카라
Engelbert said in April the WNBA's goal is to expand to 16 teams by 2028, though it's unlikely the league adds another franchise before 2027.
