(Photo credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images)

The Professional Women's Hockey League is expanding to Las Vegas and Hamilton, Ontario, in 2026-27.

The fast-growing league officially announced its 10th and 11th franchises on Wednesday.

Las Vegas will play home games at T-Mobile Arena and Hamilton will be based at TD Coliseum.

'The PWHL's expansion to Hamilton and Las Vegas recognizes two distinct markets and opportunities for the league,' the league said in a press release. 'Hamilton boasts one of the largest and most concentrated areas in the world for girls' hockey participation, with a community that has rallied for a professional hockey team of their own for generations, while Las Vegas is North America's entertainment mecca and home to a community that has proudly adopted and embraced hockey and women's sports.'

Detroit previously was announced as the PWHL's ninth member, also starting in 2026-27.

The league launched in January 2024 with teams in Boston, Minnesota, Montreal, New York, Ottawa and Toronto. Seattle and Vancouver joined the PWHL for the current season.

The Las Vegas and Hamilton team names will be revealed at a later date. Las Vegas' team colors will be green and gold, while Hamilton will feature gold, maroon and cream.

In January, Hamilton drew 16,012 fans for a PWHL game at TD Coliseum between Toronto and Seattle.

'Hamilton and its surrounding communities have long been central to the growth of girls' and women's hockey, producing generations of talented players and passionate fans,' said Jayna Hefford, PWHL executive vice president of hockey operations. 'This is a region with deep hockey roots, and the response we saw during our Takeover Tour game at TD Coliseum made it clear that fans in the region are ready to rally around a team of their own.'

Hockey participation among girls and women has skyrocketed in the Las Vegas area since the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights' inaugural season in 2017.

'While professional women's hockey may be new to the market, we know Las Vegas is ready to welcome and champion a PWHL team of its own,' said Amy Scheer, PWHL executive vice president of business operations. 'This new team will be Las Vegas Valley-born and reflect the identity of its bold, welcoming, and resilient community, with athletes ready to put on a show and build a passionate following across the region.'

--Field Level Media