The WNBA Expansion Draft 2026: Building Rosters for the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire

The WNBA Expansion Draft 2026: Building Rosters for the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire

The WNBA Expansion Draft 2026, sponsored by State Street Investment Management and SPY, is a process that allows new teams to select players from existing teams to build their rosters. The 14th and 15th franchises, the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, will debut in the 2026 season and participate in the draft. The Expansion Draft is set for April 3 at 3:30pm ET and will be aired on ESPN.

Each of the 13 current WNBA teams has submitted a Roster List with players they have rights to. Teams can protect up to five players on this list, leaving the rest available for selection in the Expansion Draft. The draft will consist of two rounds, with each team making up to six selections. Toronto and Portland can each select one player who will be an unrestricted free agent in 2026.

There are no positional requirements for player selection, allowing Toronto and Portland to choose players based on team needs. The Expansion Draft is just the beginning of the roster-building process for the new teams. They will also participate in free agency and the 2026 WNBA Draft, where Toronto has the 6th overall pick and Portland has the 7th overall pick.