A New Chapter for Women’s Professional Baseball
The Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL) is poised to make its debut on August 1, 2026, ending a 72‑year absence of a top‑level women’s baseball league in the United States.
In the lead‑up to the inaugural season, the league’s Countdown Tour will stop in Stockton, California, on July 2, 2026. The visit will showcase on‑field workouts and a FanFest that lets supporters meet the players who hope to become the league’s first stars.
Co‑founder Justine Siegal, who broke ground as the first woman to coach a Major League Baseball team, said the tour is designed to build excitement and give fans a tangible connection to the upcoming competition.
All regular‑season games will be staged at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Illinois, a neutral site that will host every WPBL contest. The schedule calls for 30 games that run through mid‑September, followed by a playoff bracket.
The draft, which attracted more than 600 applicants from ten countries, will see the first nine picks span the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the Dominican Republic. San Francisco selected Kelsie Whitmore, a former USA Baseball standout, with the top overall choice, while Los Angeles drafted Japanese pitcher Ayami Sato and historic Little League alumnus Mo'ne Davis.
With a diverse roster, a national broadcast plan and a commitment to showcasing elite talent, the WPBL aims to reshape perceptions of women’s baseball and inspire the next generation of players.