The WNBA is headed to the City of Roses.
Portland was awarded the WNBA’s 15th franchise, the league announced Wednesday. The franchise, which will begin play in 2026, is led by Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal, the owners of the National Women’s Soccer League’s Portland Thorns.
The team will play in the city’s downtown arena, the Moda Center, which is also home to the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers.
“We believe in the transformative power of women’s sports and are thrilled that the W will call Portland home,” Lisa Bhathal Merage said in a statement. “We know that Portland’s vibrant and diverse communities will highly support and rally around this team. Our goal is to grow this organization in partnership with the Portland community and we look forward to supporting the best women’s basketball players in the world when they take the floor at the Moda Center in 2026.”
