The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) announced expansion to Detroit on May 6, with the league’s newest team to begin play for the 2026-27 season with home games at Little Caesars Arena. Detoit-based Ally Financial Inc. is the PWHL Detroit team’s inaugural partner, and the team’s jerseys will feature an exclusive Ally patch on the chest. In celebration of the PWHL’s newest market, Detroit will host the 2026 PWHL Awards Ceremony, presented by Ally, on June 16, and the 2026 PWHL Draft, presented by The Upper Deck Co. of Carlsbad, California, on June 17, with the draft taking place at Fox Theatre as a ticketed event open to fans.
Detroit welcomed the PWHL from the beginning, starting with hosting the league’s first-ever neutral-site game at Little Caesars Arena during the PWHL’s inaugural season in 2024, drawing 13,736 fans. Since then, area support has only grown, with Detroit hosting four PWHL games over three seasons—the most of any neutral-site city. Among those games were crowds of 14,288 fans, setting a then-U.S. arena attendance record for women’s hockey on March 16 last year, and a Little Caesars Arena women’s hockey attendance high of 15,938 at the city’s last Takeover Tour game on March 28 this year, cementing Detroit fans’ demand for a PWHL team to call their own.
“Detroit has been part of PWHL history since the beginning; [ever since they showed support] at our first-ever neutral-site game at Little Caesars Arena, the city and fans have helped lead the way for the future of pro women’s hockey,” says Amy Scheer, PWHL executive vice president of business operations, in a prepared statement. “Led by our incredible partner, Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, Detroit proved time and time again it is ready for a team of its own. We are so proud to permanently join ‘Hockeytown’ with the introduction of PWHL Detroit.”
For planners, beyond now having the ability to bring groups to exiting PWHL Detroit games, Little Caesars Arena has multiple event venues with capacity for up to 8,000 attendees, including up to 2,000 on the arena floor. The outdoor Budweiser Biergarten and Chevrolet Plaza expand the offerings. Several bookable private club spaces overlook the arena, and catering and in-house audiovisual are available. Via is the largest indoor space, with lots of natural light, built-in bars and concessions, and views of the Detroit skyline.
As part of the team announcement, the league revealed PWHL Detroit’s primary colors—black and silver—complemented by white as a secondary color and red as an accent. The palette is distinct from any other team in the league, with the primary colors intended to evoke Detroit’s innovative and industrial spirit, matched with the resilient identity of metro Detroiters. Meanwhile, the red accent is a nod to the city’s celebrated sports history, in particular, the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings’ and ‘Hockeytown’s’ hockey stewardship in the U.S. for more than 100 years. The permanent brand identity, including the team’s name and logo, will be announced later.
The decision to expand to Detroit reflects the league’s long-term vision for strategic growth. Detroit’s bid was led by Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, the business arm of the Detroit Red Wings, MLB’s Detroit Tigers, and operators of Little Caesars Arena. Started through an initial investment by Mike and Marian Ilitch and strengthened by Ilitch Cos.’ long-standing commitment to the sport—including the Little Caesars Triple-A Hockey Club, which has developed generations of players since 1968—the Detroit-based global organization has a long history of advancing hockey at every level. This commitment includes expanding opportunities for women and girls while building a strong foundation for the sport’s continued growth.
“Detroit is one of the great hockey cities, shaped by generations of players, teams, and fans who have helped grow the game at every level,” says Chris Ilitch, president and CEO of Detroit-based Ilitch Cos. “Bringing a PWHL team to Little Caesars Arena is an exciting next step for our city and for the continued momentum of women’s hockey. This moment also reflects our broader vision of using sports as a catalyst for Detroit’s continued revitalization—strengthening community engagement, supporting economic growth, and contributing to the city’s long-term development. We’re proud to support the PWHL’s growth, welcome these athletes to our city, and inspire the next generation of women and girls to pursue the game at the highest level.”
PWHL Detroit joins the PWHL’s eight current markets—Boston; St. Paul, Minnesota; Montréal; New York; Ottawa; Seattle; Toronto; and Vancouver—as part of the league’s single-entity ownership structure under Chicago-based TWG Global. The team’s practice home will be Belfor Training Center, which is part of the arena’s complex. Details about further expansion, a forthcoming expansion roster-building process, and how Detroit will be integrated into the 2026 PWHL Draft will be announced in the coming weeks.
