Fans can tune in to the live streamed press conference today at 12:45 p.m. PT / 3:45 p.m. ET on the PWHL's homepage, opens in a new tab or YouTube channel, opens in a new tab.
NEW YORK AND TORONTO — The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) today announced expansion to San Jose, California, rounding out the league’s four-team expansion class set to debut for the 2026-27 season. PWHL San Jose will play its home games at SAP Center and train at Sharks Ice at San Jose, following an expansion bid led by Sharks Sports & Entertainment and the City of San Jose.
San Jose and the Bay Area represent a compelling next step for the future of the PWHL, featuring a unique combination of established professional and youth hockey culture, record-setting support for women’s sports, continued opportunity for league geographic diversity, and a strong corporate base.
While Northern California is a new market for pro women’s hockey, the San Jose Sharks have helped build a strong local hockey community in the Bay Area, which boasts one of the largest ice facilities in the Western United States, while California ranks sixth in the country in girls’ hockey participation behind five colder-climate regions. Off the ice, after welcoming the NWSL’s Bay FC and the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries in 2024 and 2025 respectively, fans have propelled both teams to league attendance records. San Jose’s location places four PWHL teams in the Pacific Time Zone, expanding the league’s footprint and offering more balance for scheduling and travel.
Today’s announcement also unveils PWHL San Jose’s official team colors: a bright, bold palette of orange, blue, and white, inspired by the San Jose flag and reflecting the Bay Area’s optimistic energy. Orange is also a nod to the Sharks and the region’s historic orange groves, while blue evokes the beauty of California’s ocean coastline and sky. PWHL San Jose merchandise is available to U.S. fans now at thePWHL.com/shop, opens in a new tab.
San Jose follows Detroit, Hamilton, and Las Vegas as the PWHL’s 2026-27 expansion markets, joining the league’s eight current markets — Boston, Minnesota, Montréal, New York, Ottawa, Seattle, Toronto, and Vancouver. Details about a forthcoming expansion roster building process, and how expansion teams will be integrated into the 2026 PWHL Draft, will be announced in the coming weeks.
Fans can place a time-stamped deposit here, opens in a new tab to secure priority access to season tickets for PWHL San Jose’s historic inaugural season, once ticket packages are released. To learn more and stay up to date, visit PWHLSanJose.com, subscribe to PWHL San Jose’s newsletter here, opens in a new tab, and follow the team on Facebook PWHL San Jose, opens in a new tab, Instagram @PWHL_SanJose, opens in a new tab, X @PWHL_SanJose, opens in a new tab, TikTok @PWHL_SanJose, opens in a new tab, YouTube PWHL San Jose, opens in a new tab, Threads @PWHL_SanJose, opens in a new tab, Bluesky @PWHL-SanJose, opens in a new tab, and LinkedIn PWHL San Jose, opens in a new tab.
Supporting Quotes
“Between a deeply rooted hockey culture, rapidly booming women’s sports scene, and a community known for growth and innovation, San Jose offers a dynamic stage for the PWHL to expand its reach and build lasting momentum,” said Amy Scheer, PWHL Executive Vice President, Business Operations. “Thanks to the San Jose Sharks and City of San Jose’s incredible support systems already in place to grow our sport across the Bay Area, and their enthusiasm for embracing the future of women’s hockey, we have the foundation to establish a lasting and impactful new home for the PWHL in San Jose. Together, we’re excited to inspire and excite fans and grow hockey together on the West Coast.”
“We are honored the PWHL has chosen San José as the site of its latest expansion team, joining the NHL’s San Jose Sharks and the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda,” said Jonathan Becher, Sharks Sports & Entertainment President. “From its humble beginnings with an NHL expansion team in 1991, San José is now truly a ‘hockey city.’ Boasting three professional hockey teams and Sharks Ice, a six-sheet public recreational ice facility, San José hosts one of the largest collection of boys, girls, and adult hockey players in the U.S. Personally, I can’t wait until opening night of PWHL San Jose later this year.”
“San José is cementing its reputation as the premier destination for women’s sports in our region — and today’s announcement is another major win for our city,” said San José Mayor Matt Mahan. “From cheering on Bay FC at PayPal Park, to hosting the Golden State Valkyries during their championship game, and now PWHL San José, our community has shown up again and again to support women athletes at the highest level. We’re thrilled to welcome the Professional Women’s Hockey League to San José and look forward to helping grow the game for fans and young athletes across our city.”
“We are incredibly proud to welcome the PWHL to San Jose and the Bay Area as the league’s fourth expansion team to debut for the 2026-27 season,” said John Poch, Executive Director of the San Jose Sports Authority. “This announcement reflects San Jose’s longstanding commitment to women’s sports and our proven track record of hosting world-class events that inspire athletes, engage fans, and elevate our community. From the NCAA Women’s Final Four and multiple NCAA Women’s College Cups to the NWSL Championship, FIFA Women’s World Cup matches, USA Women’s Hockey, and countless other premier events, the Bay Area has consistently demonstrated that it embraces and supports women’s sports at the highest level. With the tremendous leadership of the San Jose Sharks and Sharks Sports & Entertainment, the support of the City of San Jose, and the passionate fan base throughout our region, we are excited to help build a lasting and impactful home for professional women’s hockey at SAP Center.”
ABOUT THE PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S HOCKEY LEAGUE (PWHL)
The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that features the best women’s players in the world. As of the 2025-26 season, it is comprised of eight teams — Boston, Minnesota, Montréal, New York, Ottawa, Seattle, Toronto, and Vancouver — with Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas, and San Jose added as the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th teams ahead of the 2026-27 season. Launched on January 1, 2024, the PWHL has broken multiple attendance records and holds the worldwide all-time record for a women’s hockey game. The league was recognized by Sports Business Journal as the Sports Breakthrough of the Year, and ranked No. 1 in Canada for corporate reputation in both 2024 and 2025, according to the Harris Poll. Visit thepwhl.com to purchase tickets and merchandise, and subscribe to the PWHL e-newsletter for the latest updates. Follow the league on social media @thepwhlofficial.
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