Across the San Francisco Bay Area, the rise of women’s professional sports is evident in the growing number of teams, leagues and community programs that are drawing both elite athletes and newcomers.
Grassroots Foundations
The Northern California Women’s Hockey League (NCWHL) offers four divisions that cater to players of varying skill levels, and it regularly hosts “Give Hockey a Try” events for beginners at a $25 fee that includes gear rental. Among the league’s regular participants is Christina Ellerby, a former roller hockey player who returned to the NCWHL after a 15‑year hiatus and has been a consistent presence for three seasons.
Professional Ascendancy
The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), launched in 2023, is set to expand into the Bay Area with a San José franchise slated to debut at SAP Center in late November 2026. The new team will showcase Olympians such as Laila Edwards, Tia Chan and Rory Guilday, signaling a new level of talent in the region.
In soccer, Bay FC, the Bay Area’s professional women’s team, plays its home matches at PayPal Park in San José and is broadcast on CBS Sports Network and ESPN 2. Meanwhile, the San Francisco Earthquakes, an LGBTQ+ ice hockey team founded in 1998, operates out of Yerba Buena Ice, and the San José Sharks oversee the San José Adult Women’s Hockey League, further diversifying the local scene.
Community support is bolstered by fan groups such as the Bridge Brigade and media outlets like *The Gist*, *Hockey Girl* and *The Women’s Game*, which provide coverage and help raise the profile of women’s sport throughout the region.
Looking ahead, the 2027 Women’s FIFA World Cup will be hosted by Brazil, and a Bay FC player is slated to represent the United States Women’s National Team, underscoring the area’s growing influence on the international stage.