The PWHL has reached a new milestone, drawing more than 1 million fans during the 2025/26 season, signaling unprecedented professional women's hockey league growth as the league enters its third Walter Cup playoffs.
The league welcomed 1,116,497 spectators across 120 regular season games. Average attendance jumped 28% over last season to 9,304 fans per game — up 71% over its inaugural run in 2024.
Two PWHL expansion franchises drove much of this season's women's professional hockey surge. The Seattle Torrent led all teams with 12,875 fans per game at Climate Pledge Arena, while the Vancouver Goldeneyes averaged 11,234 at Pacific Coliseum. Both clubs additionally generated the highest first-year merchandise revenue in PWHL history.
The league also capitalized on Olympic momentum after February's women's hockey tournament in Milan. Players from around the world returned to a thriving domestic competition, with the PWHL strategically scheduling its season around the Winter Games.
"We knew this moment was going to be big for us and felt that this could be a game changer," PWHL EVP Amy Scheer told The Athletic.
The league's Takeover Tour brought games to 16 neutral sites, drawing 200,000 fans across seven untapped markets. Madison Square Garden and Climate Pledge Arena both set new US attendance records with sellout crowds, while Detroit hosted the first PWHL game aired on national TV.
Digital engagement exploded alongside ticket sales. YouTube viewership climbed 77% with fans tuning in from 154 countries — up from 106 last season. In-person merchandise sales also doubled, while online purchases jumped 50%, with post-Olympics sales surging 190% over the same period in 2025.
