Toronto’s new WNBA team is amazing for both Canadians and women
The new team debuting in 2026 will help increase visibility of women’s sports in the country
Art by @RESLUS.
The Women’s National Basketball Association has made its first trek up north, going beyond borders, both figuratively and literally.
The league is expanding to include more teams — one of which will reside in Toronto, marking the first Canadian WNBA team. The team has yet to be named and will start playing in the 2026 season at the Coca-Cola Coliseum, which is also home to the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies and a Toronto team in the Professional Women’s Hockey League during its first ever playoff run.
Toronto’s WNBA team is the league’s 14th team. They will also be playing games at the Scotiabank Arena in the city and making some stops across Canada, including in Montreal and Vancouver.
Although I don’t follow basketball often, as someone who tries to keep up with Canadian sports, this is fantastic news to hear. While I don’t think Canada necessarily gets left out of professional sports, having more of a presence is always appreciated.
This is especially true for a women’s league as it can be harder for women to pursue a career in sports due to limited professional leagues and misogynistic societal views.
While it’s not the same thing, I’m someone who’s aiming to make a career in esports, and trying to get more women involved in covering professional competitions is something I’m always down to help with. Whether it’s getting women involved in competitions or creating accessible gaming opportunities, I like to think I try to do what I can to make it a bit easier for women to see success in esports.
I will say, as nice as it is to see Canada have another team in a professional league, having an even stronger presence would be nice to see. While there is now a WNBA team for Canadians to cheer for across the country, it can sometimes feel like cheering for a singular team is the only option.
When I look at other sports leagues like the National Basketball Association or Major League Soccer, Toronto tends to be the only Canadian team in those leagues as well, if not one of the few.
It would be cool to see Vancouver have a team in the WNBA in the future, since I know the city does have some basketball history. Since Vancouver has the Canucks in the National Hockey League and the Whitecaps in Major League Soccer, the city has proven it can be a hotspot for professional sports.
For now, though, having another team for those following the WNBA to cheer on is an amazing achievement, especially for Canadians who have a common connection to gain when following the league.
Seeing how the Toronto team plans to make stops across Canada, it may also help encourage women to pursue their goals of getting into professional sports or develop an interest in such.
This especially goes for Canadian women as I’m sure seeing other women play in a team connected to their country may give them a reason to follow the league like their counterparts in the U.S. do.
While it’s still a while away, having another professional sports team in Canada is exciting.
