Vancouver announced as newest PWHL franchise for 2025-26 season [Video]

The Professional Women’s Hockey League will expand to Vancouver and begin play next season, the league announced on Wednesday.

The decision to expand to Vancouver had been rumoured for weeks, and was finally confirmed at a press conference in downtown Vancouver on Wednesday morning.

The official announcement was made by players from a local girls’ under-11 hockey team, who crowded the podium, waving signs saying they want a PWHL team in their city.

“You’ve shown a remarkable commitment to growing the game of hockey,” Amy Scheer, the PWHL’s executive vice president of business operations, told the crowd gathered in Vancouver on Wednesday.

“I think the last stat I saw from BC Hockey was the girls’ and boys’ registration is just about 50-50. That’s huge, and BC Hockey’s efforts have been huge in growing the game. We want to help build and continue that momentum that you’ve already started.”

WATCH | Vancouver announced as 7th PWHL franchise:

The PWHL …