Meet the Toronto Tempo, the WNBA’s first international expansion team

The WNBA’s first international expansion team will be known as the Toronto Tempo, the league’s 14th franchise announced on Thursday.

“Tempo is pace. It’s speed. It’s a heartbeat. And it’s what you feel when you step into the streets of this city, and in the energy of the people who call Canada home,” Teresa Resch, president of the Toronto Tempo, said in the release. “As Canada’s WNBA team, I know the Tempo will set our own pace, move at a championship cadence, and inspire people across this country.”

The name and brand identity were selected out of a call for inspiration from more than 10,000 people who weighed in from Canada and the world, as well as a community council, the team said. It is inspired by “the rhythm of our city, our country, and the game of basketball.” It works in both French and English, “creating an inclusive brand for fans across the country,” per the release.

The name Tempo first appeared on the WNBA website earlier in the week in a dropdown menu of teams, but was quickly removed as it seemed accidental. Toronto will begin play in 2026 as will a team in Portland, which has yet to announce a name and branding. The Golden State Valkyries, the league’s first expansion team since 2008, are set to build their roster via an expansion draft on Friday (ESPN, 6:30 p.m. ET) and tip off in May.

The Toronto logo is meant to reflect the team’s values: forward-leaning motion for a desire for progress, sharp angles and round curves for the dynamic nature of the game, and six lines representing the five players on the court and the “sixth man” of fans.

“Tempo reflects what fans can expect from this team — including, of course, the in-game experience at the arena,” Resch said in the release. “The sounds of the court. The beat of the music. The passion of the fans around you and the intensity of the players on the floor. ​ Capturing all that energy, excitement and feeling was crucial as we chose the name for Canada’s WNBA team.”