The WNBL has declared its desire to capitalise on an “unprecedented global surge in women’s basketball” as it announced plans to expand its competition from eight to 10 teams across the next 12 months.
The league on Tuesday morning confirmed Tasmania had secured the first expansion license and would become the ninth WNBL team for the 2026/27 season.
And the search for a 10th team has also been officially launched by the WNBL, which is determined to reward the deep talent pool in Australian hoops.
Watch live coverage of NBL 2025-26 season with ESPN on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
The WNBL – Australia’s longest-running elite domestic women’s sports competition – has seen eight teams compete in the league since the 2016-17 season. Some licences have changed hands and some clubs have been rebranded, but the split of teams across the league – including three Victorian-based clubs – has remained the same.
But that will change from the 2026-27 season, with Tasmania officially awarded the ninth WNBL license. It’ll be the first time the league has featured a Tassie-based team since 1996 when the Hobart islanders’ 10-year stint ended.
“With the new energy, investment, and passion in the WNBL, it is the right time for Tasmania to return to the league,” WNBL chief executive Jennie Sager said.
A ninth WNBL team will be based in Tasmania. Picture: Steve Bell/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
“We thank the Jack Jumpers for believing in our vision and backing the future of women’s basketball. With one in five girls playing basketball in this country, this new team helps increase opportunities and inspire a new generation of girls to dream big.”
Tasmania’s WNBL team will feature a new brand, including a unique name and logo. Ten new roster spots for WNBL players will open up, as well as opportunities in coaching, support staff and leadership positions.
The club will reveal its inaugural season plans in the coming months, but has called for Tassie community input and engagement to help drive the rollout strategy.
Kayla Steindl, a former WNBA and WNBL player, has already beein appointed Tasmania’s WNBL assistant general manager, while not-for-profit organisation St Lukes has been confirmed as the foundation principal partner.
It comes off the successful launch of the Tasmania JackJumpers, who made the grand final series in their first NBL season (2021-22), won the championship two seasons later then sold out every home game across their 2024-25 campaign.
JackJumpers chief executive Christine Finnegan, who’d led the WNBL expansion effort, said it was “an incredibly proud day for this club and for the state of Tasmania”.
“We are so proud to expand the club to now have an inspirational and aspirational pathway for both girls and boys,” Finnegan said.
Opals crowned Asia Cup champions! | 00:31
“We are thrilled to have secured the first expansion license and to now begin to build a successful and sustainable women’s program, leveraging from the strong foundations that have already been established and expand our footprint and impact on the state.
“We’ve seen what the JackJumpers have done for the community and how the community have embraced the team. Now we’ll have a women’s team that brings that same spirit, pride and passion to the women’s game at the highest national level.”
The league on Tuesday also called for expressions of interest amid a desire to add a 10th team for the 2026-27 season.
While an open invitation has been sent to all corners of the country, the league has a “strong ambition” to see the 10th license awarded to the Brisbane or Gold Coast market, expecially ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
Teams like the South East Queensland Stars, Logan Thunder and Brisbane Blazers have all featured at various stages during the WNBL’s existence. But the only Queensland-based team in the league at the moment is the highly-successful Townsville Fire, who’ve won four of the past 11 championships.
A ninth WNBL team will be based in Tasmania. Picture: Steve Bell/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
“There is significant interest from investors and stakeholders who are excited by the growth they are seeing in women’s basketball and it’s a powerful reminder that the appetite for the game has never been stronger,” Sager said.
“We’re not just looking for a new team – we’re looking for a partner who will help us build a league that is strong, sustainable and a source of pride for decades to come.
“A 10th team means more court time for elite players, more pathways for the stars of tomorrow, and more moments that inspire young girls to pick up a basketball and know they have a place in our sport.”
WNBL owner Victoria Denholm of the Wollemi Capital Group said the talent pool for Australian women’s basketball had “never been deeper”.
“We want to provide more local playing opportunities for our elite players and expanding the league is a key way to do that,” Denholm said.
“There are incredible people right across the country who feel just as passionate about the growth of the WNBL as we are. The addition of a 10th team is a rare opportunity to join us and build on our vision to create a strong, sustainable league.
“We want to hear exactly why you should have a team and join us in providing more women the opportunity to pursue their dreams.”
The 2025-26 WNBL season will begin in just over two months, with Round 1 to take place across the weekend of October 18-19.
It’s understood the league is close to confirming a TV broadcast rights deal.