This article was originally published on September 14, 2023, and then updated on May 10, 2024 to reflect the latest information.
It was a remarkable moment in professional sports when the WNBA tipped off its inaugural season in 1997. From the league’s early days to the present, the league has gone through ups and downs, but it now driving more interest than it ever has before.
The WNBA started with eight teams across the United States. Fast forward to today, and the league now has 12 active teams with more expected to join in the near future.
Have you ever wondered how the WNBA evolved from its inaugural eight teams to the dozen today? Or perhaps you’re curious about what the future holds for this electrifying league.
As we kick off the 2024 season, the WNBA is on the verge of growing again. This article explores the current number of WNBA teams in 2024 and dives into the rich history of WNBA teams that have defined the league.
And if you’re wondering what states WNBA teams are in, we also break down the WNBA teams by state and consider potential new states where the WNBA might plant its flag in the coming future.
How Many WNBA Teams Are There?
At the start of the 2024 season, the WNBA has 12 teams, each representing different cities across the United States.
But big news! On October 5, 2023, the WNBA announced an expansion with the arrival of a Golden State franchise in the San Francisco Bay Area. This team will start to play in the 2025 season, bringing the total to 13 teams.
And on May 10, 2024, CBC Sports broke a story of the WNBA expanding to Toronto. The team will start play in 2026. Adding Golden State and Toronto would bring the league to 14 teams total.
WNBA Conferences
Currently, the WNBA is divided into two conferences: the Eastern and Western Conferences. Each comprises of six teams right now.
I’m guessing that the Golden State franchise will join the Western Conference next year and that Toronto is added to the Eastern Conference the year after that.
Here is a list of WNBA teams by conference as of right now:
| EASTERN CONFERENCE | WESTERN CONFERENCE |
| Atlanta Dream | Dallas Wings |
| Chicago Sky | Las Vegas Aces |
| Connecticut Sun | Los Angeles Sparks |
| Indiana Fever | Minnesota Lynx |
| New York Liberty | Phoenix Mercury |
| Washington Mystics | Seattle Storm |
In The Beginning
The 12 (soon to be 14 teams) that make up the WNBA reflect the growth of the WNBA since its beginning in 1997.
In that first season, the league began with eight teams:
- Charlotte Sting
- Cleveland Rockers
- Houston Comets
- New York Liberty
- Los Angeles Sparks
- Phoenix Mercury
- Sacramento Monarchs
- Utah Starzz
These pioneering franchises set the stage for a transformative journey for women’s professional hoop.
WNBA Teams Map
There’s no better tool than a map to gain a deeper appreciation of the geographical distribution of WNBA teams.
Below, you’ll find a WNBA teams map that showcases what states teams are in across the United States as things stand right now in 2024.
Whether you’re a fan of a specific team or simply curious about the WNBA’s footprint in the country, this map will offer insight into the league’s reach.
WNBA Teams By State
1. Arizona – Phoenix Mercury
- City: Phoenix
- Team History: The Phoenix Mercury is one of the WNBA’s eight original franchises. The team has won three WNBA Championships (2007, 2009, and 2014).
- Home Arena: The Mercury plays home games at Footprint Center, a multi-purpose arena in downtown Phoenix.
- Notable Players: The Mercury has been home to WNBA greats like Diana Taurasi, Cappie Pondexter, and Brittney Griner (the leader in WNBA dunks).
2. California – Los Angeles Sparks
- City: Los Angeles
- Home Arena: The Sparks play home games at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California.
- Team History: The Los Angeles Sparks are one of the WNBA’s original eight franchises, founded in 1997. They quickly made their mark, winning championships in 2001 and 2002.
- Notable Players: Lisa Leslie, one of the greatest players in WNBA history, spent her entire career with the Sparks (see our favorite inspirational Lisa Leslie quotes). Other stars like Candace Parker and Nneka Ogwumike donned the Sparks’ jersey.
3. California – Golden State Valkyries [Coming in 2025]
- City: San Francisco
- Home Arena: The Golden State Valkyries will play at Chase Center in San Francisco, CA.
- Team History: The arrival of the Golden State franchise was announced on October 5, 2023. The team will begin to play in the 2025 season.
- Notable Players: TBD
4. Connecticut – Connecticut Sun
- City: Uncasville
- Team History: The Connecticut Sun joined the WNBA in 2003. While the Sun has yet to win a WNBA Championship, the team has qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in 12 of its 18 seasons.
- Home Arena: All Sun home games are played at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, a quiet and rural area in Connecticut.
- Notable Players: Katie Douglas, Nykesha Sales, Shannon Johnson, Jonquel Jones, and Margo Dydek are some of the most famous women to play for the Connecticut Sun. Today, triple-double master Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner lead the team.
5. D.C. (District of Columbia) – Washington Mystics
- City: Washington, D.C.
- Team History: The Washington Mystics is one of the first WNBA expansion franchises to be established. The team won their first and only WNBA Championship in 2019.
- Home Arena: The Mystics play their home games at Entertainment & Sports Arena in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C.
- Notable Players: Elena Delle Donne, two-time WNBA MVP, and Chamique Holdsclaw are among the Mystics’ prominent former players.
6. Georgia – Atlanta Dream
- City: College Park
- Team History: The Atlanta Dream was founded before the 2008 WNBA season. The team has won three Conference titles but is still looking for its first WNBA Championship.
- Home Arena: The Dream plays home games at Gateway Center Arena in College Park.
- Notable Players: Angel McCoughtry and Betty Lennox are among the Dream’s standout former players. Today, the team is led by WNBA Rookie of the Year and two-time WNBA All-Star Rhyne Howard.
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7. Illinois – Chicago Sky
- City: Chicago
- Team History: The Chicago Sky was founded before the 2006 season. The Sky clinched their first WNBA Championship in 2021.
- Home Arena: The Sky plays its home games at the Wintrust Arena, a 10,387-seat sports venue in the heart of McCormick Square.
- Notable Players: Kahleah Copper, the 2021 Finals MVP, Candace Parker, and Sylvia Fowles are among the Sky’s famous former and current players.
8. Indiana – Indiana Fever
- City: Indianapolis
- Team History: The Fever was founded before the 2000 season as an expansion team in the league. The team secured its first WNBA Championship in 2012.
- Home Arena: The Fever plays home games at the newly renovated Gainsbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. In 2022, they played home games at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum and the Hinkle Fieldhouse while the Gainbridge Fieldhouse was being renovated.
- Notable Players: Katie Douglas and Kara Wolters, one of the tallest WNBA players in league history, are prominent former players for the Indiana franchise. Tamika Catchings, an iconic figure in women’s basketball, spent her entire career with the Fever.
9. Minnesota – Minnesota Lynx
- City: Minneapolis
- Team History: The Minnesota Lynx, established before the 1999 season, is one of the league’s most successful franchises with four WNBA Championships.
- Home Arena: The Lynx play home games at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
- Notable Players: Maya Moore, Seimone Augustus, and Lindsay Whalen are some of the Lynx’s legendary players.
10. Nevada – Las Vegas Aces
- City: Las Vegas (headquartered in Henderson)
- Team History: The Aces, previously known as the Utah Starzz and San Antonio Stars, moved to Las Vegas and became the Aces in 2018. They won back-to-back WNBA Championships in 2022 and 2023.
- Home Arena: The Aces play home games on the Las Vegas Strip at Michelob ULTRA Arena, also known simply as “The House.”
- Notable Players: The franchise was home to Becky Hammon and two-time Sixth Woman of the Year Dearica Hamby. Today, A’ja Wilson, the 2018 WNBA Rookie of the Year and two-time league MVP, stands out for the Aces (see our list of top A’ja Wilson shirts).
11. New York – New York Liberty
- City: Brooklyn (originally New York City)
- Team History: The New York Liberty, an original WNBA franchise, has been a symbol of women’s basketball in New York. While the Liberty haven’t secured a championship, they have qualified for the WNBA Playoffs in 17 of its 26 years.
- Home Arena: The Liberty plays home games at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
- Notable Players: Teresa Weatherspoon, Rebecca Lobo, and Leilani Mitchell are among the Liberty’s notable alums. Today, Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu are some of the team’s most well-known players.
12. Ontario (Canada) – Toronto [Name TBD, Coming in 2026]
- City: Toronto
- Home Arena: The Toronto franchise would play at Coca-Cola Coliseum, an 8,000-seat arena.
- Team History: The new Toronto franchise was first reported on May 10, 2024 and an official announcement will take place on May 23rd. The team will begin to play in the 2026 season.
- Notable Players: TBD
13. Texas – Dallas Wings
- City: Arlington
- Team History: The Dallas Wings were founded as the Detroit Shock in 1998 and moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, before the 2010 season. The franchise has won three WNBA Championships (2003, 2006, and 2008).
- Home Arena: The Wings play their home games at College Park Center, an event venue at The University of Texas at Arlington.
- Notable Players: Skylar Diggins-Smith, Katie Smith, and Liz Cambage, among others, have made their mark with the Wings. Today, the team is led by Arika Ogunbowale (the highest paid WNBA player).
14. Washington – Seattle Storm
- City: Seattle
- Team History: The Seattle Storm was founded in 2000. The franchise has been a consistent postseason contender and has won the WNBA Championship four times (2004, 2010, 2018, 2020).
- Home Arena: Since 2022, the Storm has played home games at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington.
- Notable Players: The Storm has been home to some of the league’s best-ever players, including Sue Bird, Lauren Jackson, Swin Cash, and Breanna Stewart. Today, Jewell Loyd leads the team and holds the WNBA’s single-season record for total points with 939.
Are They Adding More WNBA Teams?
The WNBA has been targeting expansion, and we know that we have at least two new WNBA teams coming in the very near future!
In October 2023, the WNBA announced it was expanding in 2025 by adding a team in the San Francisco Bay Area in California.
The new franchise is owned by the Golden State Warriors, and they will announce their official name in the coming months.
We also have a new franchise arriving in Toronto, beginning in the 2026 season. In May 2024, CBC Sports reported that Toronto billionaire Larry Tanenbaum is leading the charge to bring the league to Canada.
The addition of these two new WNBA teams will bring the league’s total to 14.
Where to Next?
Following the announcement of the expansions to the San Francisco Bay Area and Toronto, many wonder if and when the WNBA will continue to seize the opportunity to expand the league to even more locations.
After all, the Golden State franchise arrives 15 years since Atlanta became the last city to join the league’s ranks in 2008.
The good news is that more growth is on the horizon!
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has made it clear that expansion is expected. In April 2024, she told reporters that she is “pretty confident” the league will grow to 16 teams by 2028.
So, if your state doesn’t currently have a WNBA team, there’s a chance one may be coming to your hometown. Here are the seven other locations that have the best chance of getting a WNBA team next:
- Austin, Texas: A hotbed of sports enthusiasm and a city known for its vibrant culture.
- Charlotte, North Carolina: A thriving metropolitan area with a burgeoning interest in women’s basketball.
- Denver, Colorado: A city where sports reign supreme, offering a promising market for the WNBA.
- Nashville, Tennessee: Known for its passionate sports community and growing basketball scene.
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: A historic city with a strong basketball heritage and potential for growth.
- Portland, Oregon: A region that embraces women’s sports and boasts a fervent basketball fan base.
The History of WNBA Teams
The story of WNBA teams is one of resilience and growth. More teams have come than have gone throughout the league’s history.
Overall, there have been a total of 18 franchises in WNBA history. The just-announced San Francisco and Toronto expansion teams will become the 19th and 20th, respectively.
Here is a complete list of WNBA teams throughout the league’s entire history:
| TEAM | YEARS ACTIVE |
| Atlanta Dream | 2008 – Present |
| Charlotte Sting | 1997 – 2006 |
| Chicago Sky | 2006 – Present |
| Cleveland Rockers | 1997 – 2003 |
| Connecticut Sun (formerly Orlando Miracle) | 1999 – Present |
| Dallas Wings (formerly Detroit Shock and Tulsa Shock) | 1998 – Present |
| Golden State [TBD] | Beginning play in 2025 |
| Houston Comets | 1997 – 2008 |
| Indiana Fever | 2000 – Present |
| Las Vegas Aces (formerly Utah Starzz and San Antonio Silver Stars/Stars) | 1997 – Present |
| Los Angeles Sparks | 1997 – Present |
| Miami Sol | 2000 – 2002 |
| Minnesota Lynx | 1999 – Present |
| New York Liberty | 1997 – Present |
| Phoenix Mercury | 1997 – Present |
| Portland Fire | 2000 – 2002 |
| Sacramento Monarchs | 1997 – 2009 |
| Seattle Storm | 2000 – Present |
| Toronto [TBD] | Beginning play in 2026 |
| Washington Mystics | 1998 – Present |
More WNBA Knowledge
Want to learn more about WNBA teams? Visit our complete WNBA guide to learn even more interesting knowledge about the WNBA, such as how many games are in a WNBA season and who has the most WNBA championships.
You can also see how the 1996 USA Women’s Olympic basketball team helped launch the WNBA in Dream On, one of the best women’s basketball films.
