(WXYZ) — Detroit is officially getting a Professional Women's Hockey (PWHL) team. On Wednesday, Ilitch Sports + Entertainment announced the team, alongside the PWHL.
Related: There are 13 players from Michigan in the PWHL; here's who they are
The team will begin playing at Little Caesars Arena, starting in 2026-27 season and Detroit-based Ally Financial will be the team's inaugural partner.
Detroit's primary colors will be black and silver, complemented by white as a secondary color and red as an accent.
See the announcement in the video below
Watch our announcement from the noon show
The league is also hosting its award ceremony and PWHL Draft in Detroit on June 16 and June 17 at the Fox Theatre.
Fans can begin placing deposits for season tickets, starting at $50 per ticket. Fans who place an early season ticket deposit will also get access to tickets for the draft on June 17. You can place your deposit for tickets here.
“Detroit has been part of PWHL history since the beginning; from the support shown 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,” said Amy Scheer, PWHL Executive Vice President, Business Operations. “Led by our incredible partner Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, Detroit proved time and time again they are ready for a team of their own. We are so proud to permanently join Hockeytown with the introduction of PWHL Detroit.”
“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. 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,” said Chris Ilitch, President and CEO, Ilitch Companies. “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.”
"We are thrilled that professional women's hockey is coming to our great city. Detroit is hoYou can place your deposit for tickets hereme to incredibly passionate hockey fans who already have shown their enthusiasm and support for the PWHL here at Little Caesars Arena," said Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield. "I am deeply appreciative to the PWHL, Chris Ilitch, and Ally for making today possible. I have no doubt that Detroit will prove to be a premiere PWHL market. We can't wait for Detroit to host the PWHL Awards Ceremony and Draft here in June as we prepare for the start of the team’s exciting inaugural season."
There have been reports over the past few weeks that Detroit was a frontrunner to get a PWHL team – one of potentially four expansion teams. It comes on the heels of two successful Takeover Tour games in January and March at Little Caesars Arena.
The game set a new Little Caesars Arena record for the PWHL with 15,938 fans attending the game between the Montreal Victoire and New York Sirens. That game was also the first nationally televised PWHL game, airing on ION, which is owned by WXYZ's parent company, E.W. Scripps. It was also sponsored by Ally Financial, which is based in Detroit.
Also, during that game, there was a segment where fans showed off their signs, all of which expressed the passion and desire of fans to bring women's hockey to Hockeytown.
In 2025, Detroit set a U.S. attendance record for a professional women's hockey game. In total, nearly 54,000 fans have attended PWHL games at Little Caesars Arena over the past three years.
The WNBA is also returning to Detroit in the 2029 season, another expansion of professional women's sports in the city.
Watch below: WNBA approves expansion team in Detroit
The league, which now consists of eight teams, expanded last season to the West Coast by adding teams in Seattle and Vancouver. The league now has teams in Boston, Minnesota, Montreal, New York, Ottawa, Toronto, Seattle and Vancouver.
When the PWHL announced the new teams last April, they only announced the cities and team colors, saying the teams would operate as PWHL Seattle and PWHL Vancouver. It wasn't until November that the team's names were revealed.
The PWHL season began in November 2025 and each team plays 30 regular-season games. The Walter Cup. The Walter Cup Playoffs began in April and feature two playoff rounds – the semifinals and the finals. Each series is a five-game series.
This season, the Minnesota Frost and Montreal Victoire are in one semifinal series and the Ottawa Charge and Boston Fleet are in the other.
Watch below: Detroit pop-up sports bar dedicated to women's sports gains momentum
