The WNBA has 15 teams in 2026: seven in the Eastern Conference and eight in the Western Conference. The WNBA's current team FAQ confirms that split. The Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo joined for the 2026 season, one year after the Golden State Valkyries became the league's 13th franchise.
Last updated August 2, 2026. This guide is a current team directory by market and conference. For dates, scores, TV listings and venue changes, use the full 2026 WNBA schedule, which is updated separately from this article.
All 15 WNBA teams in 2026, alphabetically
The table uses each franchise's primary market or home base. That distinction matters because several clubs play selected home games at alternate arenas during the season.
| Team | Market or home city | Conference | 2026 context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Dream | Atlanta, Georgia | Eastern | Current franchise |
| Chicago Sky | Chicago, Illinois | Eastern | Current franchise |
| Connecticut Sun | Uncasville, Connecticut | Eastern | Plays the 2026 season in Connecticut |
| Dallas Wings | Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas | Western | Current franchise |
| Golden State Valkyries | San Francisco Bay Area, California | Western | Joined in 2025 |
| Indiana Fever | Indianapolis, Indiana | Eastern | Current franchise |
| Las Vegas Aces | Las Vegas, Nevada | Western | Current franchise |
| Los Angeles Sparks | Los Angeles, California | Western | Current franchise |
| Minnesota Lynx | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Western | Current franchise |
| New York Liberty | New York City, New York | Eastern | Current franchise |
| Phoenix Mercury | Phoenix, Arizona | Western | Current franchise |
| Portland Fire | Portland, Oregon | Western | New for 2026 |
| Seattle Storm | Seattle, Washington | Western | Current franchise |
| Toronto Tempo | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | Eastern | New for 2026; first franchise outside the U.S. |
| Washington Mystics | Washington, D.C. | Eastern | Current franchise |
This is a list of franchises, not a count of arenas. Toronto, Connecticut, Dallas, Chicago, Las Vegas and Washington are among the clubs with selected 2026 games outside their usual primary venue, so a schedule entry's venue remains the best source for a specific game.
Eastern and Western Conference teams
The WNBA's odd number of teams creates an uneven split in 2026. The Eastern Conference has seven clubs, while the Western Conference has eight.
Eastern Conference: seven teams
- Atlanta Dream
- Chicago Sky
- Connecticut Sun
- Indiana Fever
- New York Liberty
- Toronto Tempo
- Washington Mystics
Western Conference: eight teams
- Dallas Wings
- Golden State Valkyries
- Las Vegas Aces
- Los Angeles Sparks
- Minnesota Lynx
- Phoenix Mercury
- Portland Fire
- Seattle Storm
Conferences still matter. In the 2026 Commissioner's Cup window, each club plays every team in its own conference once, producing six Cup games for an Eastern team and seven for a Western team. The conference winners then meet in the Cup championship.
The playoff race works differently. The top eight records across the whole league qualify for the 2026 postseason, regardless of conference. There are no reserved four-East and four-West playoff allocations. That is why a fan following the playoff line should compare a team's record with every contender on the current league schedule, not only clubs in the same conference.
What changed for the 2026 WNBA season?
The league's growth happened in two steps. Golden State joined in 2025 as the 13th franchise. The Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo then became the 14th and 15th teams when they debuted in 2026. Their addition raised the active team count by two without relocating or removing any of the 13 clubs that played in 2025.
Toronto also changed the league's geographic footprint. The Tempo are the first WNBA franchise based outside the United States. Their home market is Toronto, although the official 2026 schedule also includes selected Tempo home games elsewhere in Canada. Portland restored a WNBA market in Oregon with its own new franchise identity.
Fans can follow each expansion club through the site's dedicated Portland Fire schedule and Toronto Tempo schedule. Those pages are the better place for changing start times, networks, results and venues.
Expansion also affects the size of the season. All 15 teams play 44 regular-season games in 2026—22 at home and 22 on the road—for 330 games across the league. Those figures describe the regular season only; preseason, Commissioner's Cup championship and playoff games are separate.
Why do some pages say 12 or 13 teams?
Those numbers usually describe an earlier season. The WNBA had 12 active teams in 2024, expanded to 13 with Golden State in 2025, and reached 15 when Toronto and Portland began play in 2026.
| Season | Team count | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 12 | Last season before the current expansion wave began play |
| 2025 | 13 | Golden State Valkyries joined |
| 2026 | 15 | Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire joined |
A page that says there are 12 or 13 teams may have been correct when it was published. Check the season named in the title and the page's update date before treating the number as current. Searches such as “What are the 12 WNBA teams?” or “What are the 13 WNBA teams?” no longer describe the complete 2026 league.
How to find each team's 2026 schedule
Start with the league schedule when you want to compare multiple teams or filter by date, status, venue or TV service. Select a team name from a matchup to open that club's schedule page. A team page keeps one franchise's games together and is more useful than a static article when times, channels or results change.
If you plan farther ahead, the WNBA calendar tools provide calendar options for the loaded schedule. Always reopen the live game or team page before traveling: national broadcast selections, arena availability and other operational changes can affect a listing after the original schedule release.
Frequently asked questions
How many WNBA teams are there in 2026?
There are 15 WNBA teams in 2026. Seven are in the Eastern Conference and eight are in the Western Conference.
What are the two new WNBA teams in 2026?
The Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo are the two teams that began play in 2026. They are the league's 15th and 14th franchises, respectively.
How many WNBA teams are in each conference?
The 2026 Eastern Conference has seven teams, and the Western Conference has eight. The conferences are uneven because the league has an odd total of 15 clubs.
Is Toronto the first WNBA team outside the United States?
Yes. The Toronto Tempo are the first WNBA franchise based outside the United States. The league held games in Canada before 2026, but those events did not establish a permanent Canadian franchise.
How many games does each WNBA team play in 2026?
Each team plays 44 regular-season games: 22 home and 22 road. With 15 teams sharing those matchups, the league's regular-season schedule contains 330 games.
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