WNBA Awards Philadelphia Expansion Franchise for 2030 Launch

The WNBA said Monday it has awarded Philadelphia an expansion franchise that is expected to begin play in the 2030 season, subject to approval by the NBA and WNBA Boards of Governors. The club will be owned and operated by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, the group behind the NBA’s 76ers, with Comcast holding a minority stake. Managing partner Josh Harris called the move “deeply personal,” while Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said the league was drawn by the city’s basketball heritage and a “very lucrative bid.”

Philadelphia’s addition is part of the WNBA’s plan to grow to 18 teams within five years. The league simultaneously announced that Cleveland will enter in 2028 and Detroit in 2029. Each ownership group is paying an expansion fee of about $250 million and has committed further investment in training facilities and other infrastructure.

The Philadelphia team will be based in South Philadelphia and is slated to play in a new multipurpose arena that is scheduled to open in 2031. Harris said the group is working to accelerate construction so the club can debut there in 2030; if that timeline slips, games would be held at the Wells Fargo Center. The franchise will be the city’s first new major professional sports team since Major League Soccer’s Union launched in 2008.