The WNBA is making history once again. On Monday, Dec. 17, the league announced the Seattle Storm will take on the Atlanta Dream in Vancouver, Canada, marking the first regular-season game played outside the United States.
The matchup will take place Aug. 15, 2025 at Rogers Arena. The league, which began play in 1997, has showcased two preseason games north of the border.
In 2023, the Chicago Sky and Minnesota Lynx played in Toronto and in 2024 Seattle beat the LA Sparks in Edmonton. Both, tabbed as “Canada Games” by the league, were sellouts.
The move to the regular season is an effort to capitalize on the success of those previous games, as well as a chance to build on record attendance and viewership numbers the WNBA experienced during the 2024 season.
“The WNBA Canada Game has been a tremendous opportunity to grow our league’s footprint,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement. “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.”
Vancouver, it’s YOUR time 🇨🇦
— WNBA (@WNBA) December 16, 2024
For the first time ever, the W will play an international regular-season game. Watch the Atlanta Dream take on the Seattle Storm on August 15, 2025, at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, B.C. for the 3rd WNBA Canada Game.
🎟️ Register for presale tickets… pic.twitter.com/O3b5RK6rLL
The event in Vancouver is the result of the success players like A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart have had during their careers, combined with the emergence of new stars like rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, who burst on to the scene during the 2024 season.
The WNBA’s growth has been fast and furious. The league recently announced they will add a 13th team next season, the Golden State Valkyries. In 2026, two more teams will join. They will play in Portland and Toronto.
Engelbert believes the momentum continues to build for the league, not just in Canada but worldwide. However, according to The Washington Post, the WNBA lost $50 million last season and in 28 years has never turned a profit. The NBA continues to lend significant financial support.
In July 2024, the league agreed to a new television rights deal worth $2.2 billion over the next 11 years, which, along with expansion fees from new teams, will help the bottom line. However, costs are expected to go up too. The league has one year to negotiate a new union contract with the players, who have said repeatedly they want higher pay.
