Trending Now - Detroit Welcomes PWHL as New Team Set for 2026-2027

WHO:

PWHL - The Professional Women’s Hockey League announced the expansion to Detroit.

Amy Scheer - PWHL Executive Vice President, Business Operations.

Jayna Hefford - PWHL Executive Vice President, Hockey Operations.

Chris Ilitch - President and CEO, Ilitch Companies.

Mary Sheffield - Mayor of Detroit.

Gretchen Whitmer - Governor of Michigan.

Andrea Brimmer - Ally Chief Marketing and PR Officer.

Ally Financial - The inaugural partner of PWHL Detroit.

WHAT:

PWHL - The 2026 PWHL Draft will feature a highly anticipated class of prospects, including gold medal-winning Olympians Caroline Harvey and Laila Edwards, the first Black female player to represent Team USA.

PWHL - The PWHL's 120-game regular-season schedule attracted more than 1.1 million fans, marking a 28% increase over the previous year and the first time the league surpassed 1 million in a season.

PWHL - Online merchandise sales surged by more than 50% over the previous season, with a 190% increase following the Milan Cortina Olympics compared to the same period a year ago.

PWHL - The league's YouTube channel viewership increased by 77% this year, reaching 154 countries.

PWHL - The 2026 PWHL Draft will be a ticketed event open to fans at Fox Theatre in Detroit on June 17.

PWHL - The PWHL has hosted four neutral-site games at Little Caesars Arena, drawing a total of 53,586 fans over the last three years.

PWHL - The last game held on March 28, 2026, was the most well-attended in Detroit, with 15,938 fans.

PWHL - The team will have dedicated locker rooms and facilities at the BELFOR Training Center, which is part of the arena’s complex.

PWHL - PWHL Detroit will begin play for the 2026-27 season.

PWHL - Home games will be played at Little Caesars Arena.

PWHL - The 2026 PWHL Awards Ceremony will be hosted in Detroit on June 16.

PWHL - The 2026 PWHL Draft will take place in Detroit on June 17.

PWHL - PWHL Detroit's primary colors are black and silver, with white as a secondary color and red as an accent.

PWHL - Detroit hosted the league’s first-ever neutral-site game, drawing 13,736 fans.

PWHL - Detroit set a U.S. arena attendance record for women’s hockey with 14,288 fans on March 16, 2025.

PWHL - The highest attendance at Little Caesars Arena for women’s hockey was 15,938 on March 28, 2026.

WHERE:

PWHL - The new team will play at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.

PWHL - The 2026 PWHL Draft will be held at Fox Theatre in Detroit.

WHEN:

PWHL - The 2026-27 PWHL season will begin in the fall.

PWHL - The 2026 PWHL Awards Ceremony is scheduled for June 16.

PWHL - The 2026 PWHL Draft is scheduled for June 17.

WHY:

PWHL - The expansion to Detroit reflects the league's long-term vision for strategic growth, with a focus on enhancing opportunities for women and girls in hockey.

PWHL - The decision to expand to Detroit reflects the league’s long-term vision for strategic growth.

PWHL - Detroit's bid was led by Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, which has a long history of advancing hockey.

HOW:

PWHL - The league will implement a new expansion roster-building process with multiple signing windows, starting on May 28.

PWHL - The team’s jerseys will feature an exclusive Ally patch on the chest.

PWHL - Fans can place a time-stamped deposit to secure priority access to season tickets for Detroit’s inaugural season.

(UPDATED May 6, 2026 23:17 UTC)

The 2026 PWHL Draft is set to showcase an exciting class of prospects, including gold medal-winning Olympians Caroline Harvey and Laila Edwards, who is also the first Black female player to represent Team USA. This season, the PWHL saw a remarkable 28% increase in attendance, attracting over 1.1 million fans, and online merchandise sales surged by more than 50%, with a staggering 190% increase following the Milan Cortina Olympics. Looking ahead, the league will introduce a new expansion roster-building process with multiple signing windows starting on May 28, reflecting its commitment to strategic growth and enhancing opportunities for women and girls in hockey.

(UPDATED May 6, 2026 21:20 UTC)

The PWHL is gearing up for an exciting event, as the 2026 PWHL Draft will take place at the Fox Theatre in Detroit on June 17, and fans can purchase tickets to attend. Over the past three years, the league has hosted four neutral-site games at Little Caesars Arena, attracting a total of 53,586 fans, with the most recent game on March 28, 2026, drawing an impressive 15,938 attendees. Additionally, the league will introduce a new expansion roster-building process with multiple signing windows, beginning on May 28.

(UPDATED May 6, 2026 17:30 UTC)

The Professional Women’s Hockey League has announced an exciting expansion to Detroit, where the new team will begin play for the 2026-27 season at Little Caesars Arena. The 2026 PWHL Awards Ceremony and Draft will both take place in Detroit, with the awards set for June 16 and the draft on June 17. Fans can look forward to the team’s black and silver jerseys, featuring an exclusive Ally patch, as they prepare to secure priority access to season tickets for this inaugural season.