The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), currently comprising six teams, is embarking on an expansion initiative aimed at introducing two new franchises by the beginning of the 2025-26 season, as announced by a league executive on Tuesday.
During a discussion at the ESPNW Summit in New York, Amy Scheer, the senior vice president of business operations, shared that the process will soon begin with requests for proposals being dispatched to various markets as early as next week. Additionally, the league will be open to receiving applications for potential expansion opportunities.
Scheer emphasized the importance of finding appropriate market conditions, including adequate fan support, suitable facilities, and promising economic prospects. While she did not disclose specific targeted markets, she mentioned that extensive research will be conducted over the forthcoming months to identify the most viable locations for expansion.
Potential U.S. markets under consideration include Detroit and Pittsburgh, both of which hosted neutral site games during the league’s inaugural season last year. Other cities like Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia are also seen as strong candidates, having been evaluated prior to the league’s establishment of teams in Boston, New York, and Minnesota. Furthermore, Denver and Seattle are viewed as possible options for expansion.
In Canada, the league currently operates teams in Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal, with Quebec City already expressing interest in acquiring an expansion franchise. Calgary might also be a contender, especially considering it previously housed the Inferno franchise from 2011 until the discontinuation of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League in 2019.
Scheer further revealed plans for the league to host neutral site games across nine different markets throughout North America, with the possibility of an outdoor game also being explored. Moreover, the PWHL is contemplating organizing games in Europe, although no specific timeline has been established for these events.
The second season of the PWHL is set to commence on November 30, featuring an enlarged schedule that allows each team to compete in 30 games, an increase from last year’s 24. The league has yet to finalize the venues for its neutral site games.
Earlier on Tuesday, Jackie Smith, a city councilor in Quebec City, announced that the PWHL has confirmed a neutral site game at the Videotron Centre on January 19. On that date, Ottawa is scheduled to play against Montreal, although the exact location has yet to be decided.
Smith noted that this agreement marks a pivotal first step towards Quebec City potentially securing its own expansion franchise in the future.