Vancouver has been awarded a Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) expansion team which is set to begin play in the 2025-26 season at the Pacific Coliseum.
The venue has a capacity of 16,821 for ice hockey matches and will serve as home to the Vancouver team while the nearby PNE Agrodome has been allocated as the side’s practice facility.
Both the Coliseum and the Agrodome are set to undergo upgrades to locked rooms and training facilities before the team’s debut.
The Coliseum will also receive enhanced technology and broadcast capabilities.
“This is a significant milestone for the PWHL and for the growth of women’s hockey,” said Jayna Hefford, PWHL executive vice-president of hockey operations.
“Expansion creates new opportunities for more elite athletes to continue their professional careers at the highest level.
“It’s fitting that this next chapter features Vancouver—a city with a rich history in women’s hockey.
“With what’s expected to be another deep draft class this June, we’re excited to build a competitive, community-connected team that reflects the PWHL style our fans have come to embrace.”
Vancouver will be the seventh team in the league alongside founding clubs in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, New York, Boston, and Minnesota.
The decision to award the team to Vancouver came after the city hosted a game in PWHL’s Takeover Tour that sold out the Rogers Arena with 19,038 in attendance.
The team will play in pacific blue and cream and will operate as PWHL Vancouver until the permanent brand identity is announced.
“This is an incredibly exciting moment for Vancouver and for the future of professional women’s sports in our city,” said Ken Sim, Mayor of Vancouver.
“We’re proud to welcome the PWHL to the Pacific Coliseum and thrilled that Vancouver fans will get to cheer on some of the best female athletes in the world.
“The passion for women’s hockey is growing, and today’s announcement shows that Vancouver is ready to lead that charge on the West Coast.”
The Pacific Coliseum opened in 1968 and was the original home of the Vancouver Canucks as well as hosting figure skating and short track speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
