On Aug. 15, a historic moment in women’s pro basketball will take place as the Atlanta Dream and the Seattle Storm face off in a regular-season game in Vancouver, B.C. This game will mark the first regular-season WNBA game to be played outside of the United States.
“As we prepare to establish permanent roots in Canada with a Toronto franchise, this game and our year-round engagement efforts are a nod to the incredible momentum around women’s basketball in Canada,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement Tuesday.
Last May, the WNBA awarded Toronto its first franchise outside of the United States, known as the Toronto Tempo, and they will begin play in May 2026.
In the past two seasons, the WNBA has played exhibition games in Canada, including Toronto in 2023 and Edmonton in 2024. Both games were sellouts. The upcoming game in Vancouver will be the fifth WNBA game played outside of the U.S. The league has previously played preseason games in Monterrey, Mexico (2004) and Manchester, England (2011).
International games are a key strategy for pro leagues to expand their audience reach. The NFL, for example, played five international games in 2024, including the first-ever game in South America in São Paulo, Brazil.
The Storm’s participation in the Vancouver game makes sense given their proximity. Ticket information, broadcast details, and the game’s start time will be announced in the coming months. Fans can register for presale ticket access at WNBACanadaGame.com. The game will take place at Rogers Arena in Vancouver.
Although the WNBA is launching a team in Toronto, the Tempo aims to represent the entire country. The team’s colors will be light blue and red, reflecting Canada’s color palette. The name “Tempo” is the same in both English and French, honoring the country’s primary languages. The franchise plans to play games not only in Toronto but also in Vancouver and Montreal, according to owner Larry Tannenbaum.
The August contest will feature one Canadian player: Dream forward Laeticia Amihere, who hails from Ontario.
The Storm is aiming for their ninth postseason appearance in 10 seasons, while the Atlanta Dream, under first-year coach Karl Smesko, is seeking a third consecutive playoff berth for the first time since 2012-14.
Next season will be pivotal for the WNBA, with new media partners NBC and Amazon joining Disney/ESPN in a long-term rights deal. The league aims to build on the success of 2024, which saw record interest in rookies like Indiana’s Caitlin Clark and established stars like A’Ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart, setting viewership records.
In 2024, a total of 32 WNBA television windows attracted over one million viewers, including the WNBA Draft.
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