PWHL ranked #38 overall on Fast Company’s World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies List
Recognition comes as the PWHL prepares to surpass two million fans in attendance in just its third season
NEW YORK AND TORONTO (March 24, 2026) – In less than three years, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) has evolved from concept to a global platform for the world’s best players, driven by sold-out arenas and a distinct, rapidly growing fan culture. Today, the PWHL has been named the #1 Most Innovative Company in Sports and #38 on Fast Company’s World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies list.
The accolade comes on the heels of back-to-back seasons of unprecedented growth, including a surge of momentum coming off the Olympic Winter Games where, for the first time, women’s hockey players returned to an established professional league where they play in front of thousands of fans in arenas and on broadcast almost daily.
This springboard moment for women’s hockey is bringing thousands of new fans to the PWHL, but the league was primed for this opportunity through aggressive ambition and innovation: strategic expansion into new markets, a growing Takeover Tour slate of neutral-site games, unmatched fan energy building community, deepening partner integration and investment, and distinct team identities — all centered around showcasing the best women’s hockey players in the world.
As the PWHL gets set for the final month of its third regular season, the league is on the cusp of surpassing two million fans in attendance all-time (currently at 1,980,988), with one million fans in attendance in a single season within reach (currently at 760,003), while average attendance across the league is up 23 percent season-over-season to 8,941 fans per game.
Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies is one of the most anticipated industry recognitions of the year. To determine honorees, Fast Company’s editors and writers review companies driving progress around the world and across industries, evaluating thousands of submissions through a competitive application process. The result is a globe-spanning guide to innovation today, from early-stage startups to some of the most valuable companies in the world.
“In a competitive sports landscape, breakthrough starts with a strong product, and our players deliver that every time they take the ice,” said Amy Scheer, PWHL Executive Vice President of Business Operations. “We’ve paired that with an accessibility-first approach to distribution, strategic expansion, and deep fan and partner engagement to build something that’s both innovative and sustainable. This recognition is a reflection of that collective effort and the momentum we’re continuing to build.”
“From day one, our focus has been on building the best environment in the world for our players to compete and succeed,” said Jayna Hefford, PWHL Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations. “That meant a Collective Bargaining Agreement that provides comprehensive benefits, introducing rules that elevate the pace and physicality of the game, and creating a league where the level of play continues to rise every night. The game has advanced every season and we’re proud to be recognized as one of the Most Innovative Companies for that growth.”
“Our list of the Most Innovative Companies is about spotlighting organizations that don’t just adapt to change—they drive it,” said Brendan Vaughan, editor-in-chief of Fast Company. “The companies we honor this year are redefining what leadership looks like in 2026, pairing bold ideas with measurable impact and turning breakthrough innovation into real-world value. They are setting the pace for their industries and offering a blueprint for what sustained innovation can achieve.”
The full list of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies honorees can be found at fastcompany.com and the article on the PWHL is available here. It will also be available on newsstands beginning March 31, 2026.