Las Vegas is about to get another major addition to its growing sports landscape—and this time, it's women's professional hockey taking center ice. The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) is set to officially announce Wednesday that it will expand to Las Vegas as its 10th franchise, bringing the fast-growing league to the entertainment capital of the world for the 2026-27 season.
This move comes on the heels of Detroit being confirmed as the league's ninth team just last week, marking an aggressive expansion phase for the PWHL. The league's "Original Six"—Toronto, Montreal, Minnesota, New York, Boston, and Ottawa—have been joined in recent seasons by Seattle and Vancouver, and now Las Vegas and Detroit are poised to complete the next wave of growth.
The timing couldn't be better. Since the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights arrived in 2016, girls' hockey participation in Nevada has skyrocketed by an astonishing 600 percent, jumping from fewer than 100 players to more than 600. With new sheets of ice popping up across the valley and a hockey-crazed fanbase already in place, the PWHL's decision to plant roots here feels like a natural next step.
Interestingly, the league didn't test the Las Vegas market with one of its popular "Takeover" events—those one-night stands in non-team cities that have drawn massive crowds and generated buzz for women's hockey. Instead, the PWHL is going all in, trusting that the city's proven appetite for live sports will translate to the women's game.
Black Knight Sports & Entertainment, the Golden Knights' parent company, will own the new PWHL team. That means fans can expect a strong connection to the medieval theme that defines hockey properties under owner Bill Foley's umbrella. Could we see a name like the "Golden Damsels" or something equally chivalrous? The possibilities are as exciting as the opportunity itself.
Las Vegas is already home to the NHL's Golden Knights, the NFL's Raiders, and the WNBA's Aces, with Major League Baseball arriving in 2028 and the NBA likely following suit. There's even speculation that MLS could land here if the Vancouver Whitecaps relocate. Add minor league baseball's Aviators, the AHL's Silver Knights, the Indoor Football Knight Hawks, and the NLL's Desert Dogs, and it's clear this city has become a bona fide sports powerhouse.
For fans of the game—and for anyone who loves a good expansion story—this is a moment worth celebrating. Women's pro hockey is coming to Vegas, and it's going to be a show.