The PWHL announced Wednesday morning that the 2026 Walter Cup Finals will be broadcast on ION, a linear television network in the United States. This marks the first time in the league’s young history that the Finals will be broadcast nationally in the U.S.
The Finals will be played as a best-of-five series in May, featuring the two winning teams from the best-of-five semifinals. This year, the league’s top four teams make the postseason. (With the league’s expansion, the playoff format is likely to change next season.)
Earlier this month, the league announced that ION will broadcast the Takeover Tour game between the New York Sirens and Montréal Victoire in Detroit, Michigan on Saturday, March 28. That game will be the first to air on national linear television in the U.S.
The broadcast moves are an effort to capitalize on the surge of women’s hockey, particularly post-Olympics, and ensure fans have an accessible way to watch.
“Americans are hungry for more world-class women’s hockey. Fans shouldn’t have to wait another four years to experience this level of passion, skill and drama, so we’re keeping the momentum going by bringing the PWHL Walter Cup Finals to ION’s massive distribution platform,” said Scripps President and CEO Adam Symson in a league release.
“At Scripps, we believe women’s sports deserve a national stage, and together with our league partners, we’re building one. We’re proud to add the Professional Women’s Hockey League to the Scripps Sports lineup,” Symson added.
According to a league press release, ION’s distribution reaches 126 million households across America. The network currently has franchise nights and weekly doubleheaders for the WNBA and NWSL, as well as dedicated pre-, halftime and post-game shows. Live coverage of the PWHL games will be available via cable TV and streaming platforms.
Though this will be the first time the Walter Cup Finals air on linear television – undoubtedly a significant milestone for the PWHL – it’s not new to professional women’s hockey. In 2022 and 2023, the Premier Hockey Federation’s championship game for the Isobel Cup was broadcast on ESPN2.