The Motor City is officially joining the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) family, with an expansion team set to take the ice for the 2026-27 season. The league made the announcement on Wednesday, May 6, confirming that Detroit's home games will be played at the iconic Little Caesars Arena.
"Detroit fits the bill in every imaginable way," said Amy Scheer, PWHL executive vice president of business operations. "When you look at the Takeover Tour over the course of our three seasons, we've averaged well over 13,000 fans a game—over 25,000 fans just this year alone over two games. So we love the fanbase here. Our fans have told us they want a team here, and you have to listen to your fans in sports, and we did."
The expansion marks a major milestone for the PWHL, which launched its inaugural season on January 1, 2024, with an abbreviated schedule. Detroit becomes the third expansion team announced, following Seattle and Vancouver, as the league continues its rapid growth in women's professional hockey.
Scheer also highlighted the partnership with Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, which operates Little Caesars Arena. "They are just wonderful partners to work with on a daily basis. From Day 1, they have very much appreciated what the PWHL is and what we bring to the table and how we could work together to grow the sport of hockey. Little Caesars Arena is just a beautiful venue that we fit into perfectly."
The Motor City's hockey fans have already shown their support through the PWHL's Takeover Tour, which brought two games to Detroit this season and drew massive crowds. That enthusiasm, combined with the city's deep hockey roots, made Detroit a natural choice for expansion.
Detroit will also host the 2026 PWHL awards ceremony on June 16, followed by the 2026 PWHL Draft on June 17 at the historic Fox Theatre—a ticketed event open to fans eager to see the next generation of stars.
As for the team's look, the primary colors will be black and silver, complemented by white as a secondary color and red as an accent. In their first year, the jerseys are expected to feature a bold "DETROIT" running diagonally down the crest—a design nod to the league's original uniforms, which was also used by Seattle and Vancouver in their debut seasons.
"I couldn't be more excited," said Ryan Gustafson, president and CEO of Ilitch Sports + Entertainment. "We've been talking about this partnership for a long time, and the PWHL and their group has done such a tremendous job in a short period of growing the league and the interest in the women's game."
With Detroit's rich hockey tradition and passionate fanbase, the PWHL's expansion here is more than just a new team—it's a statement that women's hockey is here to stay in a city that lives and breathes the sport.