Portland to be host for 15th WNBA team.

On Sept. 18, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) announced that Portland, Oregon, has been awarded a new women’s basketball team. Portland once had a WNBA team called the Portland Fire, but the franchise folded just two years later in 2002. Now, Portland will once again be home to a WNBA team, said to begin playing in 2026.

In an interview with NBA Communications, the newly appointed head coach, Lisa Bhathal Merage, shared her excitement about the franchise’s return to Portland. 

“We know that Portland’s vibrant and diverse communities will highly support and rally around this team,” Merage said. “Our goal is to grow this organization in partnership with the Portland community and we look forward to supporting the best women’s basketball players in the world when they take the floor at the Moda Center in 2026. For decades, Portland has been the global epicenter of sports lifestyle and today, we are now the global epicenter of women’s sports.” 

 Merage has more than 45 years of experience in professional sports and is sure to lead the team to success in the coming years. The consensus from community leaders and sports enthusiasts is that Portland is an ideal fit for the WNBA’s 15th franchise.

Support for the new team is undeniable. The city has long backed women’s athletics, with the Portland Thorns FC leading the charge in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and the Rose City Rollers making waves in roller derby. Now prominent figures – such as Gov.Tina Kotek, Sen. Ron Wyden, and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler – are all cheering on the addition of the WNBA. 

“Portland has a deep passion for women’s sports and the teams that call this city home,” Kotek shared. From the Thorns to the Rose City Rollers to the Sports Bra [the nation’s first sports bar dedicated to women’s sports], Portland embraces a diversity of athletes and fans. This is an exciting new chapter for our city and our state.” 

The announcement has sparked excitement across Portland and Eugene. South’s girls’ basketball players are excited for the new opportunities the Portland team could present.Varsity basketball player Stella Eustice shared her thoughts on the new team. 

“I think it’s really cool to finally have a WNBA team in Oregon,” Eustice said. “There’s often a lot of trash talking about women’s sports. I think this new team will be a great way to promote women’s basketball and show people that Oregon is the real deal.” 

Eustice went on to talk about how this expansion is a strong step for women’s sports and Oregon sports in general. 

“I’m inspired by it,” she said. “This is a really great step in women’s sports, and I’m excited for what it could mean for me and my teammates”

 Fans eagerly await the start of the season as the city prepares to welcome the new WNBA franchise. Portland – and the world as a whole – are ready for this new beginning in women’s sports. 

Article by Ozy Zinke-Haschemeyer