By Matt Kinnear
(Photo Courtesy of WLL)
The Women’s Lacrosse League is expanding to a full season for 2026.
The original four teams — Boston Guard, New York Charging, Maryland Charm, and California Palms — will expand their rosters and play in a 10v10 format over 11 weekends, the league announced Wednesday.
In the span of less than a year since the WLL was announced it has landed a title sponsor in Maybelline, high-profile media spots and has competed in various formats during the Premier Lacrosse League season. First was a Sixes-style Championship Series debut, then the current format showcased at the WLL All-Star Game.
Games will be distributed on the ESPN Networks.
“With the launch of our WLL Championship Series, we caught a glimpse of what the women's professional game can be. Today, we’re excited to expand their professional platform to reflect the talent, ambition, and excellence of the players,” said Paul Rabil, Co-Founder and President of the Premier Lacrosse League, in a news release. “In Summer 2026, the WLL will return to the field for a full season on ESPN.”
The WLL-PLL alignment has brought attention to pro women’s lacrosse in a way not seen in previous iterations like the United Women’s Lacrosse League (UWLX) from 2015-17, then the Women’s Professional Lacrosse League (WPLL) from 2018-20 and Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse, which announced the shuttering of its lacrosse segment shortly after the WLL’s debut.
The teams will expand to 23 players with an expansion draft, plus a collegiate draft.
Full release:
NEW YORK – Sept. 10, 2025 – The Maybelline Women’s Lacrosse League today announced it will expand its competition calendar to a full season and playoffs starting in 2026. The WLL 2026 season will feature the league’s original four teams competing in the 10 versus 10 game format successfully debuted at its 2025 WLL All-Star Game. There will be 11 weekends of action, with games distributed on ESPN networks and streaming on the ESPN App.
“With the launch of our WLL Championship Series, we caught a glimpse of what the women's professional game can be. Today, we’re excited to expand their professional platform to reflect the talent, ambition, and excellence of the players,” said Paul Rabil, Co-Founder and President of the Premier Lacrosse League. “In Summer 2026, the WLL will return to the field for a full season on ESPN.”
“We are thrilled to bring the Women’s Lacrosse League’s first regular season to fans nationwide in 2026. As a proud partner, ESPN is deeply committed to elevating this dynamic, athlete-powered league,” said Rosalyn Durant, EVP of Programming & Acquisitions. “We believe the WLL’s pace, storytelling and cultural resonance will inspire a broader audience, and we can’t wait to deliver every moment of competition across our platforms.”
“From surging participation in girls lacrosse, a record-breaking rise of women's NCAA lacrosse, and momentum building toward the sport's Olympic debut in LA28, the success of the WLL at launch was no surprise,” said Mike Rabil, Co-Founder and CEO of the Premier Lacrosse League. “With the support of our partners at ESPN, Maybelline, and more, we’re proud to deliver the highest level of competition in women’s lacrosse, for the best women’s lacrosse players in the world, and fans rooting for them around the globe.”
Launched in November 2024, the WLL debuted at the 2025 Maybelline Championship Series, where the Boston Guard won the inaugural WLL title in the Olympics Sixes format. The 2025 Championship Series final between the Boston Guard and New York Charging was the most streamed women’s professional lacrosse game ever on ESPN+.
The league’s original four teams – the Boston Guard, New York Charging, Maryland Charm, and California Palms – will expand their rosters to 23 players through a roster expansion draft. The WLL will also hold a College Draft ahead of the 2026 season.
Dates and matchups for the 2026 Championship Series and 2026 WLL regular season and playoffs will be announced later this year. To learn more about the WLL and stay up to date on schedule releases, roster updates, and tickets, visit www.thewll.com.
About the Maybelline Women’s Lacrosse League
The Maybelline Women’s Lacrosse League (WLL) is a women’s professional lacrosse league in North America, composed of four teams rostered by the best players in the world. Launched in November 2024 by the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL), the WLL represents the league’s biggest investment in women’s lacrosse to date. The PLL is co-founded by lacrosse superstar, philanthropist, and investor Paul Rabil and his brother, serial entrepreneur and investor, Mike Rabil. The PLL is backed by an investment group composed of Joe Tsai Sports, The Chernin Group, Arctos, Brett Jefferson Holdings, The Raine Group, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), The Kraft Group, Bolt Capital and other top investors in sports and media. The WLL and PLL are distributed through an exclusive media rights agreement with ESPN. For more on the league, visit www.premierlacrosseleague.com/womens-lacrosse-league and follow on social media: Instagram (@WLL), Twitter (@WLacrosseLeague), Facebook (@WomensLacrosseLeague), and TikTok (@WomensLacrosseLeague).