The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) has awarded Portland to become the newest franchise expanding the league to 15 teams.
The new Portland WNBA team, set to debut in the 2026 season, will be owned and operated by RAJ Sports, led by Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal, who also own the National Women’s Soccer League team the Portland Thorns.
Portland becomes the latest expansion team to be introduced to the WNBA this year, following the Golden State Valkyries and a Toronto franchise yet to be officially named.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, said: “As the WNBA builds on a season of unprecedented growth, bringing a team back to Portland is another important step forward.
“Portland has been an epicentre of the women’s sports movement and is home to a passionate community of basketball fans. Pairing this energy with the Bhathal family’s vision of leading top-flight professional sports teams will ensure that we deliver a premier WNBA team to the greater Portland area.”
The Portland WNBA team makes its return to the league after over 20 years. The Portland Fire previously played in the league from 2000-2002 and will play its games at the Moda Centre, the same arena as the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers.
Bhathal Merage will serve as controlling owner and WNBA Governor, while Alex Bhathal will serve as Alternate Governor. The Bhathal family (Lisa, Alex and their parents, Marta and Raj) brings more than 50 years of experience in the professional sports industry, including basketball, serving as investors of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings.
Bhathal Merage’s husband, Richard Merage, will also join the buyer group as an investor and Executive Board member of the WNBA team.
Bhathal Merage, stated: “For decades, Portland has been the global epicentre of sports lifestyle and today, we are now the global epicentre of women’s sports.
“We believe in the transformative power of women’s sports and are thrilled that the W will call Portland home. We know that Portland’s vibrant and diverse communities will highly support and rally around this team.
“Our goal is to grow this organisation in partnership with the Portland community and we look forward to supporting the best women’s basketball players in the world when they take the floor at the Moda Center in 2026.”
