WNBL27 tips off on October 15, 2026, and it's the biggest shake-up the league has seen in years-a ninth team joining the competition, a reworked finals format, and a wave of new import signings reshaping rosters across the board. Here's a full breakdown of what's changed heading into the new season.

Quick facts:

• Season start: October 15, 2026
• Teams: 9 (up from 8), with the Tasmania Jewels joining as the league's newest club
• Games: 99 regular season games, broadcast live and free
• Finals: Expanded from a 4-team to a 5-team format, including a new Eliminator Final
• Defending champions: Townsville Fire

The WNBL Grows to 9 Teams: Meet the Tasmania Jewels

The headline change is expansion. The Tasmania Jewels were confirmed as the league's ninth licence in August 2025, and their name is a deliberate piece of branding "Jewels" references the queen ant, making them the direct counterpart to the men's Tasmania JackJumpers. The club makes its debut hosting the Geelong Venom at Hobart's MyState Bank Arena on October 15, the first WNBL game played in Tasmania since the Hobart Islanders folded back in 1996.

The rest of the league lines up as: Adelaide Lightning, Bendigo Spirit, Geelong Venom, Perth Lynx, Southside Flyers, Sydney Flames, Tasmania Jewels, Townsville Fire, and UC Capitals.

New Finals Format: How the 5-Team Series Works

Adding a ninth team forced a real structural change. WNBL27 replaces the long-standing four-team finals format with a five-team series: the top three clubs on the ladder advance straight to the Semi-Finals, while the fourth and fifth-placed teams face off in a new Eliminator Final hosted by the higher-ranked side for the last remaining semi-final spot.

The regular-season schedule has also expanded to accommodate the extra team, with games now running on Thursday nights in addition to the usual Friday-through-Tuesday slots, alongside themed rounds including an Indigenous Round, Mental Health Round, Pride Round, and a HoopsFest event in Perth.

Top Import Signings to Watch in WNBL27

This season's import market has been active well beyond Tasmania's new roster. Perth Lynx moved fast to sign Washington Mystics guard Georgia Amoore the Ballarat-born 6th pick of the 2025 WNBA Draft within 24 hours of star guard Sami Whitcomb being ruled out for the entire season with a knee injury. Geelong Venom brought in Chinese internationals Han Xu and Wanglai Zhang, while Southside's Wang Siyu and Sydney's Yang Shuyu add another layer to a growing Chinese presence in the league this year. The Tasmania Jewels, for their part, landed American guard Gianna Kneepkens as the expansion club's first-ever international signing.

Add in a heavy run of domestic player movement Jade Melbourne to Bendigo, Maddy Rocci to Geelong, and Jaz Shelley, Ally Wilson, and Issie Bourne all landing at Sydney and almost every club in the league looks meaningfully different heading into October.

New Teams, New Colours

Expansion always comes with a fresh identity, and the Tasmania Jewels' brand reveal is a good example of how much thought goes into a club's look before a single game is played their colours and identity were built specifically around Tasmania's wilderness and basketball history, not just picked off a shelf. It's the same principle that goes into any custom basketball uniform for teams, whether it's a brand-new WNBL franchise or a local club building its look from scratch colours, logos, and identity all need to work together before the uniform ever reaches the court.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many teams are in the WNBL for the 2026-27 season? Nine. The Tasmania Jewels joined as an expansion club, growing the league from eight teams to nine for WNBL27.

When does the WNBL27 season start? The season tips off on October 15, 2026, with the Tasmania Jewels hosting the Geelong Venom in Hobart.

What's new about the WNBL27 finals format? The finals series has expanded from four teams to five, with the top three clubs advancing directly to the Semi-Finals and the fourth and fifth-placed teams meeting in a new Eliminator Final.

Who are the defending WNBL champions? The Townsville Fire enter WNBL27 as the defending champions after winning the 2025-26 title over the Perth Lynx.

Who are the notable import signings for WNBL27? Georgia Amoore (Perth Lynx), Gianna Kneepkens (Tasmania Jewels), and Chinese internationals Han Xu and Wanglai Zhang (Geelong Venom) are among the season's most notable new import signings.

The Game is Hers

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More Than Just Jerseys

We do more than jerseys - we back strong community connection. Through our Game Is Hers campaign, we celebrate the female and girl athletes who run the floor on their own talent and hard work — the ones putting in the early mornings, the extra reps, and the years of effort that don't always make the highlight reel. It's our way of connecting with the sports community and sharing a bit of positivity for the women and girls shaping the game, on and off the court. We celebrate inspiring players so they can go on to inspire others and shape the future of the game.