The WNBA’s newest franchises — the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire — will make their first roster choices Friday, April 3, when the league stages its 2026 expansion draft at 3:30 p.m. ET. The event will be televised in Canada on TSN (channels TSN1/3/4/5) and streamed at TSN.ca, giving fans a live look as the two clubs begin assembling teams for their inaugural seasons. A coin toss awarded Portland the first selection.
League rules again limit existing clubs to protecting five players from selection, and the WNBA has said it will not publish each franchise’s protected list. The draft itself is set for two rounds: Round 1 will feature 12 picks with Portland picking first and the two expansion teams alternating through the order; Round 2 reverses the order with Toronto taking the opening pick. That format allows for a maximum of 24 selections overall as the Tempo and Fire add veteran pieces to complement future draft and free-agency moves.
The Tempo and Fire are the W’s second straight year of expansion moves, following last year’s arrival of the Golden State Valkyries. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has signalled the league’s intention to continue growing, naming Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia as likely future markets. For Toronto, national broadcast coverage on TSN underlines the Canadian franchise’s immediate media footprint.
Because teams can shield five players and the league won’t release protected lists, exact availability is uncertain, but projections circulated ahead of the draft include several notable names who could be on the move. The list of potential targets includes Arike Ogunbowale (Dallas), Marina Mabrey (Connecticut), Halley Jones (Dallas), Iliana Rupert and Kayla Thornton (both Golden State), and Jonquel Jones (New York). The Sporting News’ pre-draft rundown also lists stars such as Jewell Loyd (Las Vegas) and Aari McDonald (Indiana); many of the listed players are marked as unrestricted free agents, which will affect how likely they are to be selected in an expansion setting.
Beyond the expansion draft, both Toronto and Portland will continue building rosters through the 2026 WNBA draft and the upcoming free-agency period. The expansion draft provides a base of experienced WNBA players but is only one element of each club’s broader construction plan for competitive balance and market appeal.
With the draft set for mid-afternoon ET, fans in the Eastern time zone will be able to follow both the picks and any immediate trades or signings that follow live on TSN and TSN.ca. The picks will set the tone for the Tempo’s and Fire’s first major roster moves and offer an early look at how the league’s continued growth will reshape team rosters around the WNBA.