Copyright Athlon Sports
The WNBA is going to look very different in 2026. Transcendent young stars like Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark and Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese will certainly still dominate the individual headlines, but MVP A’ja Wilson and the defending champion Las Vegas Aces will have two new teams fighting to knock them off the throne next season. Expansion teams Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire are joining the league in 2026, bringing the total number of teams to 15. In 2025, the Golden State Valkyries proved that a new franchise can become a playoff contender right away, and Toronto is already making major moves in an attempt to follow that blueprint. On Tuesday, the Tempo announced former New York Liberty coach Sandy Brondello as their first head coach in franchise history. “History made,” the team said in a post on X. “Welcome @SBrondello as the inaugural head coach of the Toronto Tempo.” The Tempo will break ground in 2026 as the first team from Canada in WNBA history. Their first head coach will be the Australian Brondello, a two-time WNBA champion with the Phoenix Mercury (2014) and the New York Liberty (2024). “It’s an incredible honor to be part of this historic moment for basketball in Canada,” Brondello said at her introductory press conference on Tuesday. “From my first conversations with the Tempo organization, it was clear we share the same vision: to build a world-class franchise that competes at the highest level, to create a strong and dynamic culture, and to root everything we do in clear and consistent values.” Brondello was unexpectedly fired by the Liberty just one season after guiding the original WNBA franchise to its first-ever championship, led by a big three of Jonquel Jones, Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu. In 2025, the team went 27-17 and lost in the first round of the playoffs. Rival teams immediately showed interest in her services. She reportedly had offers from the Dallas Wings and Seatle Storm, turning down more money to join Toronto and build a new team from scratch. She will still be paid handsomely, becoming the third coach in the WNBA known to have a yearly salary over $1 million, according to Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports.
