As had been rumored, the fourth expansion team added for the 2026-27 season is San Jose the PWHL announced Tuesday.
The introductory press conference is scheduled for today at 12:45 P.M. Pacific / 3:45 P.M. Eastern at T-Mobile Arena. It can be watched via livestream on the PWHL's homepage or YouTube channel.
The team is expected to play at SAP Arena, home of the NHL San Jose Sharks. The training facility is set to be Sharks Ice at San Jose. The bid for expansion to San Jose was led by Sharks Sports & Entertainment and the City of San Jose, said the PWHL.
The PWHL release on expansion cited adding a fourth team to the Pacific time zone (joining Seattle, Vancouver and Las Vegas) to "expand the league’s footprint and offer more balance for scheduling and travel."
The Sharks have helped the region grow as a hotbed of hockey participation while other women's sports have found the area prime for expansion.
"While Northern California is a new market for pro women’s hockey, the San Jose Sharks have helped build a strong local hockey community in the Bay Area, which boasts one of the largest ice facilities in the Western United States, while California ranks sixth in the country in girls’ hockey participation behind five colder-climate regions. Off the ice, after welcoming the NWSL’s Bay FC and the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries in 2024 and 2025 respectively, fans have propelled both teams to league attendance records."
As part of the announcement, the league shared that San Jose’s official team colors are "a bright, bold palette of orange, blue, and white, inspired by the San Jose flag and reflecting the Bay Area’s optimistic energy. Orange is also a nod to the Sharks and the region’s historic orange groves, while blue evokes the beauty of California’s ocean coastline and sky."
More quotes from the release:
“From its humble beginnings with an NHL expansion team in 1991, San José is now truly a ‘hockey city.’ Boasting three professional hockey teams and Sharks Ice, a six-sheet public recreational ice facility, San José hosts one of the largest collection of boys, girls, and adult hockey players in the U.S. Personally, I can’t wait until opening night of PWHL San Jose later this year," said Jonathan Becher, Sharks Sports & Entertainment President.
“This announcement reflects San Jose’s longstanding commitment to women’s sports and our proven track record of hosting world-class events that inspire athletes, engage fans, and elevate our community. From the NCAA Women’s Final Four and multiple NCAA Women’s College Cups to the NWSL Championship, FIFA Women’s World Cup matches, USA Women’s Hockey, and countless other premier events, the Bay Area has consistently demonstrated that it embraces and supports women’s sports at the highest level. With the tremendous leadership of the San Jose Sharks and Sharks Sports & Entertainment, the support of the City of San Jose, and the passionate fan base throughout our region, we are excited to help build a lasting and impactful home for professional women’s hockey at SAP Center,” said John Poch, Executive Director of the San Jose Sports Authority.
