Toronto will be home to the next franchise of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)

Toronto, Canada's largest city, will be home to the next franchise of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), Canadian media has reported.The new team is expected to start playing in 2026, industry sources told the CBC and the Toronto Star.

The addition is part of a larger expansion by the WNBA, which is hoping to grow to a total of 16 teams by 2028.The expansion to Toronto brings the total number of teams in the league to 14. It also marks the league's first expansion outside of the US. Kilmer Sports Venture, a company founded by Toronto billionaire Larry Tanenbaum, will be spearheading the expansion to the city, according to media reports.

Mr Tanenbaum is a minority owner and chairman of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment, which owns several other Toronto sports franchises including the ice hockey team the Toronto Maple Leafs, the men's basketball team the Toronto Raptors, and the Major League Soccer team Toronto FC. 

An official announcement is expected on 23 May. Asked about the reports on Friday, Toronto's mayor Olivia Chow was tight-lipped, saying: "Hopefully there will be good news soon. Just wait."  The WNBA's commissioner Cathy Engelbert stated last month that her league intends to grow by three additional teams in the next four years.