The PWHL’s 12th franchise is heading to the Bay Area.
The PWHL announced this morning that it will expand to San Jose, California, ahead of the 2026-27 season. San Jose is part of a four-team expansion to bring the league to 12 teams ahead of its fourth season, with Detroit, MI, Las Vegas, NV, and Hamilton, ON previously announced.
“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 the press release. “Thanks to the San Jose Sharks and City of San Jose’s incredible support systems already in place to grow our sport across the Bay Area, and their enthusiasm for embracing the future of women’s hockey, we have the foundation to establish a lasting and impactful new home for the PWHL in San Jose. Together, we’re excited to inspire and excite fans and grow hockey together on the West Coast.”
The team will play at the 17,500-seat SAP Center, home of the NHL’s San Jose Sharks. The arena is currently undergoing a $425 million, seven-year renovation to improve its infrastructure and upgrade the fan experience. PWHL San Jose will practice at Sharks Ice in San Jose.
The team’s colors will be blue, orange and white. They will operate as PWHL San Jose until they settle on a permanent brand identity.
This expansion marks the PWHL’s first trip to California. It is just the second U.S. West Coast city the league has visited overall, behind only one of 2025’s expansion markets, Seattle. However, this is not elite women’s hockey’s first trip to the Bay Area. Most recently, the 2024-25 Rivalry Series opened at the Tech CU Center, the 4,200-seat home of the AHL’s San Jose Barracudas, in November 2024, where Team USA dominated Canada, 7-2. Before that, Team USA’s 2017 “Time is Now Tour” hit the SAP Center for the final game of the pre-2018 Olympics tour, where the Americans fell to the Canadians, 3-1.
While elite women’s hockey has limited experience in the Bay Area, the region is a U.S. hotbed for women’s sports. The NWSL and WNBA moved in in 2024 and 2025, respectively, to record-breaking success. Bay FC broke the NWSL’s attendance record last year with a 40,091 sellout crowd at Oracle Park. The league’s Denver expansion team then broke that record earlier this season. Beyond the record, Bay FC ranked fourth in NWSL attendance last season with over 14,000 fans a game. Meanwhile, the Golden State Valkyries led the WNBA in average attendance last season with over 18,000 fans per game. They also recently became the league’s first team to cross a $1 billion valuation, according to CNBC. All of this success led The Athletic to name it the top U.S. women’s sports city back in November.
“San José is cementing its reputation as the premier destination for women’s sports in our region — and today’s announcement is another major win for our city,” San José Mayor Matt Mahan said in the press release. “From cheering on Bay FC at PayPal Park, to hosting the Golden State Valkyries during their championship game, and now PWHL San José, our community has shown up again and again to support women athletes at the highest level. We’re thrilled to welcome the Professional Women’s Hockey League to San José and look forward to helping grow the game for fans and young athletes across our city.”
PWHL San Jose marks the final PWHL expansion market announcement ahead of the 2026-27 season. Player dispersal is up next, with Phase 1 now set to begin on June 2, according to The Hockey News. In Phase 1, existing teams will protect three players. In addition, players on expiring contracts can sign with any existing team, although each team can only lose one player. Meanwhile, the expansion franchises can negotiate with players in Phase 1, but must wait until Phase 2 to sign anyone.