Hamilton, Canada appears poised to become the next PWHL expansion city after the league officially announced PWHL Detroit as its ninth franchise, setting the stage for a rapid four-team addition ahead of the 2026/27 pro women's hockey season.
The plans call for all four new teams to have staff in place before the player dispersal process potentially kicks off on May 28th. And after January's successful Takeover Tour stop drew more than 16,000 fans to TD Coliseum, PWHL Hamilton seems increasingly likely to join the fold.
Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath's office hasn't commented on expansion talks after hyping up the original Takeover Tour game. Though Horwath did drop hints while discussing the AHL's Bridgeport Islanders impending relocation to Hamilton.
"Without spilling any beans, I can say I'm pretty confident that there's more to come," Horwath told reporters.
Ice Warriors magazine also chimed in, confirming rumors that Hamilton is next in line.
Beyond PWHL Hamilton, the league is likely looking West to create geographic connections for Seattle, Vancouver, and back-to-back defending Walter Cup champion Minnesota.
According to The Hockey News, Las Vegas remains a frontrunner, while California markets including San Jose and San Diego are additionally under consideration. However, San Jose drew just over 3,000 fans to a November preseason showcase — well below the PWHL's current average of 5,000+ fans per game.
Despite submitting an application, Quebec City appears out of contention after receiving no official PWHL response.
"We had several discussions with the PWHL, but have not received any official response to date," said Québecor's Sports and Entertainment Group Martin Tremblay.
"This is a highly competitive process where several major North American cities have also submitted their applications."
