The Bay Area is getting another women’s sports franchise.
On Tuesday, the Professional Women’s Hockey League announced the league is expanding into San Jose, California, bringing the total number of franchises to 12 next season with the additions of recently-announced expansion teams in Detroit, Las Vegas and Hamilton, Ontario.
“Between a deeply rooted hockey culture, rapidly booming women’s sports scene, and a community known for growth and innovation, San Jose offers a dynamic stage for the PWHL to expand its reach and build lasting momentum,” Amy Scheer, PWHL Executive Vice President, Business Operations, said in a statement.
San Jose will begin play in 2026-27 at the SAP Center, also home of the NHL’s San Jose Sharks. The expansion team’s official colors are orange, blue, and white, a nod to the San Jose city flag.
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The San Jose franchise will join the six original PWHL franchises — Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost, Montréal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Charge, and Toronto Sceptres — in addition to the expansion Seattle Torrent and Vancouver Goldeneyes, who joined the league in the 2025–26 season.
The PWHL isn’t the only professional women’s league that’s arrived in the Bay Area amid a boom in popularity and attendance. The Golden State Valkyries joined the WNBA last season and sold out 24 consecutive regular-season games, while Bay FC joined the NWSL in 2024.
Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@gannett.com and follow her on X at @CydHenderson.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: PWHL expands to Bay Area with San Jose team