Calling the 2024 WNBA season a turning point in the league’s history would be a huge understatement. With the introduction of new rising stars Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Cameron Brink, and very soon Paige Bueckers, the WNBA gained an all-time high in viewership. Nearly two dozen games during the regular season reached over one million viewers, and viewership increased by way over 100% compared to the previous season. In the process, Jonquel Jones won WNBA Finals MVP as she led her New York Liberty to a 3-2 series win over Napheesa Collier and her Minnesota Lynx teammates. It was the first title that one of the league’s original franchises had won. Thanks to the new audience and excitement, the Finals will now be a best-of-7 format, similar to its masculine counterpart.

The pinnacle of Women’s Basketball also has another significant event coming up: expansion. In 2025, the Golden State Valkyries will begin play as an expansion team from San Francisco, owned by the same franchisees as the Golden State Warriors. The next year, Canada will be getting its first Women’s Basketball team, with Toronto being confirmed as a new franchise as well. Saving the best for last, Portland, Oregon will be making its grand return to the league. The Portland Fire was a franchise that folded over two decades ago and has not returned since. Whether or not the Fire name will be brought back is currently unknown, but some fans would love to see a revival.

Without further ado, it is time to discuss five cities that should consider WNBA expansion beginning in 2027.

Denver, Colorado

When the Utah Starzz (Another one of the WNBA’s original eight franchises in 1997) moved to San Antonio, the Mountain West area had no team. The state of Colorado has achieved plenty of success in sports during the 21st century. During the century, the Colorado Avalanche won two NHL championships, the Denver Broncos won Super Bowl L, and the Denver Nuggets won their first championship in franchise history nearly two years ago. The first World Series title for the Colorado Rockies remains in the works. Denver has also attracted big names to their teams over the past two decades, with Peyton Manning, Nikola Jokic, and Nathan MacKinnon among others leading them to glory. A team in Denver would not only bring back fans from the Mountain West and market more basketball to the state, but it could also make huge amounts of money from endorsements. Deion Sanders, Bo Nix, Travis Hunter, Jokic, and many more Colorado-based athletes would be seated in courtside seats almost every game. This city would love to make the league’s biggest stars get used to the elevation.

Team Name: Denver Miles – Denver is known as the “Mile High City”.

Arena: Ball Arena

Mexico City, Mexico

Throughout the 2020s, Mexico is planning on expanding the amount of sports events in the nation In 2021, the Mexico City Capitanes joined the NBA G-League as the league’s only Mexico-based franchise. In 2025, NASCAR’s touring series will be returning to Mexico for the first time since the late 2000s. Amongst the big four sports, Mexico does not have a team in any of them, while Canada has a multitude of teams in every league except for the NFL. Mexico is the lone nation in North America not to have a basketball team at the highest level. With the introduction of the Toronto franchise in 2026, the WNBA should also consider expansion to this ever-growing sports market.

Team Name: Mexico City Mariquitas – Mariquitas translates to “Lady Ballers” in Spanish.

Arena: Mexico City Arena

Miami, Florida

Similar to the Utah Starzz, Miami also used to have a WNBA team. The Miami Sol only played three seasons in the league, owned by the same Miami Heat franchisees. They folded after the 2002 season, and Florida has not been represented since. Miami is another huge market for sports and entertainment events, as a significant amount of celebrities are based in the area. The Dolphins, Marlins, Heat, and Panthers have all won at least one championship in their history. From the 16-0 Super Bowl to the 3-0 Game 7 victory, the 305 has always had something in them. The only missing piece to their sports market is a team for the women. Can Miami shake off their two NBA Finals losses in the decade with a brand-new WNBA team?

Team Name: Miami Palm Trees – Palm trees can be seen virtually anywhere in the state.

Arena: Watsco Center

Columbia, South Carolina

The Charlotte Sting was an original franchise of the league that folded in 2009. They were unable to win the Finals despite facing off against the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001. Currently, there are two professional sports teams located in the Carolinas: the Panthers and the Hornets. The Panthers possess the “Carolina” moniker and play games in Charlotte, NC. The Hornets play under the Charlotte banner and also play games in said city. Additionally, the Carolinas are known for their wide world of Minor League Baseball teams. The one major thing to note is that South Carolina is not solely represented in professional sports. All they have are the baseball teams and the Gamecocks. Speaking of that, the Gamecocks have provided major success for future WNBA stars, such as Aaliyah Boston of the Fever. South Carolina’s first professional sports team would make the state stand out just as much compared to its borders.

Team Name: Columbia Nectar – Insects collect nectar from flowers, and if the Charlotte Hornets also purchase a stake in this team, it would fit in with them and the G-League Greensboro Swarm.

Arena: Colonial Life Arena

Detroit, Michigan

Everyone’s got to lose their mind in Detroit Rock City. Well, in basketball, it is for all of the wrong reasons. Last season, the Detroit Pistons set the all-time record for most consecutive losses by an NBA team, with 27 straight games dropped. Despite the efforts from former first overall pick Cade Cunningham, and fellow first-round pick Jalen Duren, the Pistons are one of the worst-managed franchises in the league. To add insult to injury, Detroit moved its WNBA franchise, the Shock, to Tulsa, OK for the 2010 season. The team would rebrand to the Dallas Wings in 2016. Meanwhile, in other sports, the Motor City is on the rise once again. The Detroit Lions have been the best they ever have, thanks to head coach Dan Campbell and his roster. The Detroit Tigers shocked the MLB world by eliminating the Minnesota Twins and reaching the playoffs for the first time in the decade. They were knocked out by the AL runner-ups, the Cleveland Guardians, in a tight ALDS matchup. In order to make up for their masculine misfortunes, can Detroit return back to winning ways on the feminine side?

Team Name: Detroit Powertrains – The powertrain is another part of the engine, like the pistons.

Arena: Little Caesars Arena – This would surpass Ball Arena and Target Center as the largest capacity in the league.