PWHL DETROIT ANNOUNCE 2026-27 REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE

Season Four of the PWHL to feature 180 games with Eastern and Western Conference alignment; New playoff format for eight teams chasing Walter Cup title

National Broadcast schedule highlights ION Game of the Week in the U.S.

Flex Packs available at 12 p.m. ET; Single Game Tickets on sale Oct. 9

DETROIT – PWHL Detroit today unveiled its inaugural 2026-27 Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) regular-season schedule which includes 13 home games at Little Caesars Arena. The PWHL’s fourth season will feature a league-record 180 games from Saturday, Dec. 5 through Sunday, Apr. 18 with 12 teams competing in newly established Eastern and Western Conferences, followed by an expanded eight-team playoff format to determine a Walter Cup champion. The PWHL Detroit regular-season schedule can be viewed online here, opens in a new tab.

“There’s something really special about being the first group to bring PWHL hockey to Detroit,” said Josh Sciba, PWHL Detroit Head Coach. “We have an incredible opportunity to build something from the ground up, and we know how much hockey means to this community. We want fans to be excited not only about watching us play, but about getting to know this team and being alongside us in this journey. We’re eager to build an identity that our city can be proud of — fast, relentless, and creative. We’re looking forward to helping this team come together, experiencing our first games in front of our passionate PWHL Detroit fans, and striving for excellence.”

“The schedule being released makes it all feel real,” says PWHL Detroit goaltender Andrea Brändli. “We’re about to begin the very first chapter of PWHL Detroit. There’s something incredibly special about knowing that every game, every moment and every memory we create this season will become part of this team’s history. I feel so fortunate to be part of building something from the very beginning, and I can’t wait to share that journey with my team, this city and our fans!”

NEW CONFERENCES AND PLAYOFF FORMAT

For the first time, PWHL teams will be divided into two conferences, each consisting of six teams. PWHL Detroit will compete in the Western Conference against PWHL Las Vegas, the Minnesota Frost, PWHL San Jose, the Seattle Torrent, and Vancouver Goldeneyes. The Eastern Conference includes the Boston Fleet, PWHL Hamilton, Montréal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Charge, and Toronto Sceptres.

PWHL Detroit will play 30 regular-season games, including 18 within its conference and 12 interconference games. Every team will visit Detroit at least once, providing fans with the opportunity to see all teams.

The PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs will expand at the conclusion of the 2026-27 regular season to feature eight teams competing in three rounds, up from the four-team and two-round format in each of the league’s first three postseasons.

The eight teams that qualify for the playoffs will be the top four teams in each conference. The first round will feature four best-of-three series, followed by best-of-five conference finals and a best-of-five PWHL Walter Cup Finals presented by Scotiabank.

A PWHL playoff tradition will also expand this season, awarding the first-place team in each conference the opportunity to select its first-round opponent, choosing between the third or fourth-place team within their respective conference.

NATIONAL BROADCASTS

The PWHL will deliver more action to national audiences than ever before, including 19 Saturday broadcasts in the U.S., highlighted by PWHL Detroit in the ION Game of the Week eight times, plus PWHL All-Star, airing on ION, Scripps’ national sports and entertainment network.

Fans in Canada will continue to enjoy coverage across a combination of linear and digital platforms operated by the league’s returning media partners.

All 180 regular-season games will be available on the PWHL’s YouTube channel and at thepwhl.com.

Additional network coverage, including regional partnerships with over-the-air broadcast groups, will be announced before the season.

PWHL TAKEOVER TOUR AND SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN

The popular PWHL Takeover Tour™ will return for a third straight season, expanding from 16 to 24 games, continuing the league’s commitment to bringing the PWHL experience to more fans across North America. Each team will play in four Takeover Tour games, currently marked on the schedule as TBD, including Jan. 9, Feb. 28, Mar. 10, and Mar. 13 for PWHL Detroit. Non-primary venue games, including Jan. 17, Jan. 23, and Apr. 3, also appear as TBD and will be announced locally in the coming weeks.

Over half of all regular-season games will be played on weekends, including 11 Saturday games and six Sunday games, with Wednesdays representing the busiest weekday with five games.

PWHL Detroit will observe a one-week break around the debut of PWHL All-Star on March 7, 2027, to be played at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena and airing on ION, TSN and Radio-Canada, as announced Sept. 24.

FLEX PACKS AND SINGLE-GAME TICKETS

Flex packs are on sale beginning at 12 p.m. ET through Ticketmaster and are available here. Fans interested in more games can purchase Season Ticket Memberships, offering the best value and benefits. Single Game Tickets will be available on Friday, Oct. 9 starting at 10 a.m. ET. For more information, visit thepwhl.com/tickets. Fans can also stay up to date on detailed ticketing information by signing up for the PWHL Detroit email newsletter here, opens in a new tab.

ABOUT PWHL DETROIT

PWHL Detroit is one of 12 teams in the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), which was founded in 2023. The PWHL began its inaugural season in January 2024 and features the best women’s hockey players in the world. PWHL Detroit was officially announced as one of the league’s four new expansion teams on May 6 and will debut at Little Caesars Arena in the fall. To learn more and stay up to date, visit DetroitPWHL.com, subscribe to the newsletter here,, opens in a new tab and follow the team on Facebook PWHL Detroit, opens in a new tab, Instagram @PWHL__Detroit, opens in a new tab, X @PWHL__Detroit, opens in a new tab, TikTok @PWHL__Detroit, opens in a new tab, YouTube PWHL Detroit, opens in a new tab, Threads @PWHL__Detroit, opens in a new tab, and Bluesky @PWHL--Detroit, opens in a new tab.