Could Hamilton be the next site for a PWHL franchise?

As the Professional Women’s Hockey League continues to pick up steam, could an expansion in Hamilton be on the horizon? CTV’s Colton Wiens reports.

The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is expanding to Detroit next season, and reports are speculating that Hamilton could be next.

Nothing has been confirmed as of May 11, 2026, but the league has been testing out games during the regular season in different markets. Its ‘ Takeover Tour’ came to Hamilton in January, where over 16,000 fans filled TD Coliseum for a game between Seattle and Toronto.

“They don’t want to expand too quickly, but if they think the temperature and the appetite is there, they’re going to do it,” Claire Hanna, hockey reporter at TSN said. “Clearly if they’ve looked at Hamilton and think there could be success there, they’ve done the research.”

While it was the first PWHL game in the Hammer, attendance outpaced many of the other cities the tour went to.

Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath wouldn’t say if a team is coming.

“The PWHL Takeover Tour game brought a great deal of excitement to Hamilton and was an incredible opportunity for young women to see themselves playing Canada’s game at the highest level, inspiring the next generation of professional athletes and Olympians. We would welcome any opportunity to have the PWHL return for takeover tours, community events and any other chance we can to continue building our relationship,” Horwath said in an email.

Nine teams are set to compete in 2027. The league started in 2023 and expanded to Vancouver and Seattle last year. League officials have indicated another two to four teams will be added soon.

Growing the game

“This was the point of the league, to grow the game, but to also attract new fans,” Hanna said. “So, if you’re not going to expand now, when do you expand? And Amy Scheer mentioned earlier this season, she said, ‘Well, we’re going to do a big expansion, maybe two to four teams, and then we’re going to stay put for a while.’ Which I think is a great business model.”

In March, Hamilton announced it was getting an American Hockey League team at the recently renovated TD Coliseum. Ever since, hockey fans have been wondering if the PWHL is coming to the Hammer next.

“It’s interesting that they’re so close to Toronto with the Sceptres and the success of the Sceptres, but I do think that GTA has so much hockey fever, so I think they could support it,” Hanna said.

“The [Ottawa] Charge are now taking over the Canadian Tire Centre for the playoffs. Just because they can have the added volume, they can have more fans in the building,” Hanna said.

Hanna said the league is showing it can fill major arenas and the appetite for the women’s game is only growing.

“I was at the first game that was ever held at Centre Bell for the PWHL and it was electric. I was emotional, it was, as a reporter, you’re trying to be neutral, but I had tears in my eyes because I remember how vibrant this arena was,” Hanna said. “This place went bananas, it was one of those moments where I thought, ‘Women’s hockey has been here for so long, but finally they’re getting the recognition they deserve.’ That was actually the last time I was at the Centre Bell. So, coming back here, I now associate it with women’s hockey in a way more than I do with the Montreal Canadiens, as a reporter who’s not regularly in Montreal,” Hanna said.

Hanna believes Hamilton could be the next site for expansion but adds there’s lots of cities who also want a shot.

“Right now, there’s only such a small area of North America that gets to experience women’s hockey now with Seattle and Vancouver involved. But yeah, get more fans, grow this, strike while the iron’s hot,” Hanna said.