The Professional Women’s Hockey League confirmed on Tuesday that San Jose will host its newest franchise, slated to debut in the 2026‑27 season. The announcement, made by league officials, marks the culmination of a multi‑year effort to embed the Bay Area into the league’s expanding footprint.
San Jose’s Hockey Heritage Meets Women’s Pro
Sharks Sports and Entertainment, the organization that owns the NHL’s San Jose Sharks, will spearhead the venture, bringing its extensive arena expertise and corporate network to the women’s game. The team will call the SAP Center its home arena, sharing the venue with the Sharks during the winter months.
League executives highlighted the city’s deep hockey tradition and its enthusiastic support for women’s sports as decisive factors in the decision. The franchise’s visual identity will feature an orange, blue and white palette drawn from the San Jose municipal flag, a design choice meant to resonate with local culture.
Home games will be played at the SAP Center, while practices will take place at Sharks Ice at San Jose, a dedicated training facility that offers state‑of‑the‑art ice conditions. In a nod to the city’s layout, the inaugural jerseys will display the word “San Jose” diagonally across the front, a stylistic element that blends modern aesthetics with tradition.
The expansion adds to a growing list of markets, joining Detroit, Hamilton, Las Vegas, Vancouver and Seattle, which will field teams in the 2025‑26 season. With the addition of San Jose, the PWHL will field a dozen clubs, underscoring the league’s ambition to become a global benchmark for women’s professional hockey.
Amy Scheer, a veteran executive in sports media, was named to a leadership role overseeing the franchise’s launch, adding a seasoned voice to the project’s management.