RotoWire this summer is exploring the WNBA's 50+ defining moments across its 30-year history, including spotlights on individual franchises. Below, we take a look at the 
Toronto Tempo and 
Portland Fire and their respective arrivals to the league.
With the WNBA celebrating its 30th year, it's only fitting that two new teams were invited to the party. However, this story is about more than just expansion. It's about the survival, resilience and growth of a league that has come far enough to cross an international border.
The WNBA's history has been defined by constant change, with franchises relocating and, in some cases, folding altogether. Even so, the league has experienced significant growth in viewership over the past few years, fueling renewed interest in expansion.
Toronto Tempo Debut Expands WNBA Into Canada
One of the two teams to join the WNBA in 2026 was the Toronto Tempo. The Tempo marked the WNBA's first expansion beyond the United States and ushered in a new era of women's basketball in Canada. The Tempo opened their inaugural regular season at Toronto's Coca-Cola Coliseum with a 68-65 loss to the Washington Mystics.
Despite the end result, Toronto's home opener brought in a sellout crowd of 8,210 fans, who watched Brittney Sykes knock down a mid-range jumper for the Tempo's first regular-season bucket. The team has since set the WNBA regular-season attendance record, drawing 20,996 fans to the Bell Centre in Montreal for the 108-95 loss to the Dallas Wings on July 10. This response underscored the growing demand for women's basketball in Canada, as well as the league's ability to draw crowds in new markets.
Portland Fire Revival Highlights WNBA Expansion Success
Toronto wasn't the only team welcomed into the league in 2026, as the Portland Fire became the WNBA's second team in the Pacific Northwest, joining the Seattle Storm. The original Portland Fire joined the league as an expansion team in 2000 before folding after the 2002 campaign, compiling a 37-59 record in those three years.
The franchise revived the Fire name ahead of the 2026 season, paying homage to the original Portland squad. The team's arrival marked another significant milestone for women's sports in Portland, a city that is also home to the NWSL's Thorns FC, winners of a league-leading three championships.
The Fire also made history when they signed Bridget Carleton, the first overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft, to a three-year, $3.75 million deal, making her the league's first Canadian-born player to sign a seven-figure deal. Before Carleton's historic contract, the WNBA and its Players Association came to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement, helping shape the future of the league and its players.
WNBA Team Valuations and Financial Growth Fuel Future Expansion
It's been a long road for the WNBA to reach this point. The Connecticut Sun, originally the Orlando Miracle, became the first independently owned and operated team in the league in 2003, with the Mohegan Tribe purchasing the team for $10 million. Fast forward to 2026, and Portland, one of the league's new teams, carries a $380 million valuation, while the Golden State Valkyries, who debuted in 2025, lead the league at $1 billion, per CNBC. Even Toronto, the lowest-valued team in the league, is worth an estimated $325 million.
The WNBA's recent success has fueled significant financial growth and opened the door for continued expansion. The league already has plans to add three new teams in Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029) and Philadelphia (2030). With 30 years and counting under its belt, the WNBA is making rapid progress while rewarding the players who helped build the league along the way.
The league has embraced change and overcome adversity throughout its 30-year history, leading to the addition of three new franchises over the past two seasons. These expansion teams represent the league's growing demand, as well as increasing confidence in its long-term future. With the WNBA set to hit 18 teams by 2030, the future appears bright as the next chapter of expansion unfolds.
