WNBA team is coming to Toronto, Chow hints

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says that she is hopeful an announcement could be made soon amid multiple reports that a WNBA team is coming to Toronto in 2026.

A Toronto expansion would mark the first Canadian team in the women’s professional basketball league.

“Wait for it. Yes, I do know,” Chow said when asked about the speculation during an interview with CP24 on Friday. “Hopefully there will be good news soon. Just wait.”

In March, multiple reports suggested that Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment chairman Larry Tanenbaum was pursuing a franchise through his separate holding company Kilmer Group.

CTV News did reach out to the Kilmer Group for comment on Friday but was told by a spokesperson that there was “no update at this time.”

A Toronto WNBA franchise would be the league’s 14th team after an expansion into California’s Bay Area via the Golden State Warriors in October. That team is scheduled to start playing next year.

Back in 2023, the WNBA hosted a sold out pre-season game at Scotiabank Arena. At that time, Commissioner Cathy Englebert had teased that Toronto could potentially host a team in the future.

In an statement issued to CTV News Toronto on Friday, the WNBA remained tight-lipped on the reported expansion.

“We continue to engage in productive conversations with interested ownership groups in a number of markets and the granting of any expansion teams requires a vote of the WNBA and NBA Board of Governors,” a spokesperson for the league said.

This is a breaking news story. More to come