The Toronto Tempo will tip off their WNBA debut Wednesday evening with a preseason home game against the Connecticut Sun, before officially opening their inaugural regular season on May 8 against the Washington Mystics at Coca-Cola Coliseum! This is the league’s first Canadian franchise, giving Toronto its first full-time women’s professional basketball team on the sport’s biggest stage. So, before you head over, here’s everything you need to know about the team.
Where will the Toronto Tempo play?
The Tempo’s main home court is Coca-Cola Coliseum at Exhibition Place, but the team is also taking four regular-season home games to other Canadian cities as part of its Cross-Canada Series! The 2026 schedule includes regular-season home dates in Montreal on July 10 against Dallas and July 12 against New York, then in Vancouver on August 21 against Portland and August 23 against Las Vegas.
Who’s on the team?
Expect a mix of WNBA vets, international talent and young prospects. The official 2026 roster currently includes Brittney Sykes, Kiki Rice, Kia Nurse, Julie Allemand, Maria Conde, Nyara Sabally, Lexi Held, Nikolina Milic, Dara Mabrey, Aaliyah Nye, Laura Juskaite, Maddison Rocci, Teonni Key, Kristy Wallace, Kitija Laksa, Marina Mabrey, Elizabeth Balogun, Temi Fagbenle and Isabelle Harrison (to name a few).
As we previously reported, Canadian fans will have a familiar name to watch in Nurse! The Hamilton-born guard has seven years of WNBA experience, with career averages of 8.9 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists through 245 games with the New York Liberty, Phoenix Mercury, Seattle Storm and Chicago Sky.
Other headliners to keep an eye on: Mabrey will be one of Toronto’s biggest offensive pieces after averaging 14.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4 assists last season with Connecticut. Sykes brings All-Star experience, defence and scoring after averaging 14.1 points, 4 assists and 3.2 rebounds last season, while Allemand is an experienced point guard, averaging 5 assists with the L.A. Sparks.
Sandy Brondello is head coach, with Brian Lankton and Ciara Carl among the assistant coaches.
How to watch/stream the games
If you can’t score tickets, some Tempo games will air on Sportsnet, TSN, Prime Video and NBA TV Canada (just check out the Tempo’s official schedule and it’ll tell you where each game is streaming). You can also stream the Tempo’s April 29 preseason game against the Connecticut Sun for free on the WNBA App.
Toronto Tempo Fan Zone, tickets and merch
So, we get it. The season hasn’t even officially begun, and you’re already a Tempo superfan. Membership in the official Tempo Fan Club will give you early access to Tempo events, exclusive collectibles, giveaways, behind-the-scenes content, merch discounts, partner offers and access to buy tickets in a dedicated Fan Club section at home games. And you can grab a whole bunch of merch from the Tempo’s online store, everything from player jerseys to draft hats and Tempo tees.
Inaugural season tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster, so you can buy everything from single-game tickets to premium seats and suites. You can even place a deposit for season ticket memberships, where you get guaranteed seats to every home game.
Theme nights
Fan experience is huge for the team, so expect a full lineup of theme nights featuring fan traditions, limited giveaways and Insta-worthy moments across Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver! Look out for Asian Heritage Night on May 23, Indigenous Heritage Night on June 25, Play with Pride Night on June 27, Homegrown Hoops Night on July 17, the Carnival Celebration Game on July 30, and Fan Celebration Night on September 20.
What’s next for the Tempo?
The Tempo are already looking beyond their inaugural season, with a dedicated performance centre at Exhibition Place, just steps from Coca-Cola Coliseum, set to open in 2028! The facility will include two WNBA regulation courts, player training and recovery spaces, and community recreation access.
Where to follow the Toronto Tempo
Follow @torontotempo on Instagram and TikTok, @TempoBasketball on X, and Official Toronto Tempo WNBA on Facebook. Or just go old school and visit their website.
