WNBA Expands with Portland Fire, Toronto Tempo in 2026

Portland's new WNBA expansion team will revive the name Portland Fire, returning to the league in the 2026 season with a logo that honors the city's identity, including nods to Mount Hood and the rose, Portland's official flower. The original Portland Fire played from 2000 to 2002 before folding, but the new ownership group, RAJ Sports, which also owns the Portland Thorns soccer team, has already sold over 11,000 season tickets, showing strong community support. Interim president Clare Hamill and RAJ Sports executives emphasize the importance of honoring the legacy while blazing a new path forward in women's professional basketball. Despite some criticism of the team's name due to wildfire sensitivity in the region, the owners defend the choice as a meaningful connection to the city's sports heritage. The team will play its home games at the Moda Center, sharing a new joint-training facility with the Thorns, marking a first partnership between the two women's leagues. The Portland Fire joins other recent and upcoming WNBA expansions, including teams in Toronto, Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia.