The Board of Governors of the NBA and WNBA have approved the expansion of the women’s basketball league with three new franchises in Cleveland in 2028, Detroit in 2029 and Philadelphia in 2030, according to a statement. Although the WNBA announced almost a year ago its plan to expand to these cities, Thursday’s decision by the NBA Board of Governors makes it official that new franchises will be joining the league.
In 2026, the WNBA, which will begin on May 8, will expand from 13 to 15 franchises with the addition of the Portland Fire and the Toronto Tempo.
With the subsequent arrival of the three new teams in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia, the league will reach 18 franchises by 2030, surpassing its previous all-time high of 16 between 2000 and 2002.
In 2027, the Connecticut Sun will move to Houston for the return of the Comets, the historic franchise that won the first four WNBA titles, disappeared in 2008 and still remains the most successful in the league.
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