Sports Notebook: WNBA Expansion Discussed with Boston as Potential Future Market

By the Editorial Team · Tuesday, August 18, 2026

The WNBA plans to add three new teams by 2030, with Boston emerging as a promising candidate for future expansion supported by Celtics owner Bill Chisholm and local leaders. This potential franchise would fill the gap left by the Connecticut Sun’s departure and mark Boston as one of the few U.S. cities hosting both men's and women's professional basketball teams.

The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) is poised for future expansion, with Boston emerging as a potential market, though any new team likely would not debut for several years. The league has announced plans to add three new franchises over the next few years: Cleveland in 2028, Detroit in 2029, and Philadelphia in 2030. Each franchise paid a record-setting $250 million expansion fee and maintains close ties to NBA ownership groups, a connection that Boston’s NBA team owner, Bill Chisholm, appears ready to leverage.

Chisholm, who became the Boston Celtics’ owner recently, has expressed strong support for establishing a WNBA franchise in Boston, citing the city’s rich sports heritage and status as the birthplace of basketball. “Boston should have a team,” he said at his introductory news conference in September. While acknowledging the league’s formal expansion process, Chisholm indicated a willingness to help accelerate the timeline when the opportunity arises.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert also cited New England as a target region for future expansion. Speaking ahead of a recent game, Engelbert said she envisions the area joining the league’s growth plans in the 2030s, emphasizing the region’s solid fan base and passion for sports. However, the league declined to comment on any specific timeline for an expansion announcement.

Meanwhile, New England is preparing to bid farewell to the Connecticut Sun, which will soon complete its final regular season in the area. The Sun’s departure marks the end of a distinct chapter for professional women’s basketball in the region, leaving a void that Boston is now aiming to fill.

Governor Maura Healey, a former collegiate and professional basketball player, has actively lobbied for a WNBA team to arrive in New England sooner rather than later. “I don’t want to wait,” she told reporters last summer, underscoring the urgency felt by some local leaders to maintain a regional professional women’s basketball presence.

The WNBA has experienced significant growth recently, with the current season surpassing previous viewership records. Attendance at games was up 16 percent during the 2026 All-Star break compared to last season. Enhanced player contracts negotiated through a new collective bargaining agreement have increased the salary cap nearly fivefold to $7 million, and the league’s average team valuation rose 59 percent year over year to $427 million.

As Boston positions itself to rejoin the WNBA landscape, the city could become one of the few North American markets representing both men's and women's professional sports leagues. The recent addition of the National Women’s Soccer League’s Boston Legacy has ensured New England’s representation in every major men’s and women’s professional league—though this status will soon depend on the region’s success in securing a WNBA franchise.

While the timeline remains uncertain, Boston’s NBA ownership and regional support suggest that New England’s future WNBA team may be on the horizon, even if it is still several years away.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.