The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is expanding to Hamilton, Ont., and Las Vegas, Nevada, for the 2026-2027 season.
The announcement Wednesday (May 13) comes one week after the team annouced PWHL Detroit. The new teams will join the original six teams, Toronto Sceptres, Montreal Victoire, Ottawa Charge, Minnesota Frost, Boston Fleet, and New York Sirens, along with the two 2025-2026 expansion teams, Vancouver Goldeneyes and Seattle Torrent.
Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath said she was proud to welcome the PWHL to the city.
“This is an exciting moment for Hamiltonians and another major step forward for our growing sports and entertainment sector. Bringing a PWHL team to Hamilton will inspire young women and girls, bring new energy to our downtown, and create incredible experiences for fans and families across our community.”
The 2026 Takeover Tour game in Hamilton drew more than 16,012 fans, the third-largest of a neutral-site game in league history.
“Of Hamilton Takeover Tour ticket buyers, more than 70 per cent were purchasing their first PWHL game ticket, underscoring the league’s opportunity to reach a distinct audience, even with the presence of Ontario’s two other PWHL teams,” noted a PWHL news release.
The league also annouced the team colours: gold, maroon and cream.
“Gold is a hat tip to the uniforms worn by the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the former NHL Hamilton Tigers, while maroon pays homage to Steeltown by representing the colour of aged steel,” the release said. The official team name and logo will be released at a later date; they will play their home games at TD Coliseum.
Las Vegas is often described as “the fastest-growing sports and entertainment destination” on the continent.
“From the staggering growth of youth hockey participation to the passionate support for the Golden Knights and Aces, the Las Vegas community has enthusiastically embraced both hockey and women’s sports,” said Amy Scheer, PWHL executive vice-president of business operations. “While professional women’s hockey may be new to the market, we know Las Vegas is ready to welcome and champion a PWHL team of its own.”
The team has the support of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights and MGM Resorts International; they will play their home games at T-Mobile Arena.
“The PWHL’s expansion to Las Vegas also increases the league’s geographic diversity as its first team in the American Southwest, introducing professional women’s hockey to a new region of fans,” noted the release.
The team colours are green and gold, which are inspired by the natural tones of southern Nevada. The team name and logo will be released at a later date.