The Professional Women's Hockey League is expanding to Detroit.
The new team will begin playing in the 2026-27 season, with home games at Little Caesars Arena.
“Detroit has been part of PWHL history since the beginning; from the support shown at our first-ever neutral site game at Little Caesars Arena, the city and fans have helped lead the way for the future of pro women’s hockey,” said Amy Scheer, PWHL Executive Vice President, Business Operations. “Led by our incredible partner Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, Detroit proved time and time again they are ready for a team of their own. We are so proud to permanently join Hockeytown with the introduction of PWHL Detroit.”
Detroit has hosted four neutral-site games over the first three seasons. In 2026, 15,938 people attended the game, setting a record for attendance at the neutral-site games.
“We’re excited to welcome the PWHL to Little Caesars Arena and thankful for the partnership with the league to bring a team to Hockeytown. The energy Detroit fans have brought to Takeover Tour games over the past few years has been undeniable — it’s clear this is a market ready to embrace professional women’s hockey. We’re looking forward to building on that momentum, help grow the game, and create something meaningful with our fans and community,” said Ryan Gustafson, President and CEO, Ilitch Sports + Entertainment.
The team name and official logo will be announced at a later date. The team's primary colours will be black and silver with accents of white and red.
PWHL Detroit joins the PWHL’s eight current markets — Boston, Minnesota, Montréal, New York, Ottawa, Seattle, Toronto, and Vancouver.
The 2026 PWHL Draft will be held at Detroit's Fox Theatre on June 17, 2026.
