The WNBA 2026 season has already got off to a fiery start with close finishes in multiple games. While fans already expected a competitive season in the league’s history, the addition of the Portland Fire and the Toronto Tempo upped the stakes in the league.
While the Portland Fire had first pick in the 2026 expansion draft, the team selected a complete young team to build a roster. After a three-year stint in the league, the Portland Fire ceased operations back in 2002, but now the side is ready to take on the WNBA once again and have massive fan support.
Portland Fire With Rare Record In the Debut Game
In 2025, the expansion team Golden State Valkyries made a grand entry to the league with its first game at the Chase Centre, and 18,064 attendees set the record for the highest attendance for the WNBA expansion team’s opening game.
But in 2026, the Fire broke that record with a total of 19,335 people attending Saturday’s regular-season opener against the Chicago Sky at Moda Centre. The sellout and WNBA record for an expansion team’s season opener highlight how much the fans were looking forward to the return of a ‘WNBA team’ to the region.
BREAKING: The Portland Fire just set a WNBA attendance record for a team’s first game.
— Ryan Clarke (@RyanTClarke) May 10, 2026
19,335. A sellout of Moda Center. https://t.co/wUp5MDTNRQ
Interestingly, the Portland Women’s soccer team, Portland Thorns, led the league in attendance in 2025 with an average of 18,173 fans per game. Both franchises have the same owners, the Bhathal family.
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While the franchise’s icon and rookie of the Year winner, Jackie Stiles, expresses excitement & closure for Portland Fire’s WNBA return after a long absence, the fan support certainly backs the league’s decision to add the expansion team in the 2026 season.
On the court, the team delivered a promising performance despite a loss against the 2021 champions, the Chicago Sky.
Portland Fire Showcases ‘Development’ In Opening Game
Although the expansion team faces typical growing pains, the home opener showcased a scrappy, high-energy roster eager to establish a new legacy in Rose City. The atmosphere was electric, with fans enthusiastically supporting the “Fire Pit.” Promising stars stood out during the competitive debut, including forward Bridget Carleton, the team’s first expansion draft pick and a key veteran presence.
thanks for all the love Rose City pic.twitter.com/59PqgSoSM2
— Portland Fire (@theportlandfire) May 10, 2026
Additionally, young talent shone, with guard Sarah Ashlee Barker demonstrating impressive Three-and-D potential coming off the bench. The other notable performers were guard Carla Leite, who led the team in scoring and provided three assists.
Jordan Harrison provided glimpses of speed and playmaking abilities that offer high upside for the future. With one of the youngest rosters in the league, the Fire’s opener indicated a long-term focus on development, promising exciting, albeit “messy,” growth throughout the 2026 season.