WNBA Expansion Draft Tracker 2026: Live Picks, Results, Roster Updates For Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo

WNBA Expansion Draft Tracker 2026: Live Picks, Results, Roster Updates For Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The WNBA’s newest era is here, with the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo officially beginning the process of building their first-ever rosters in the 2026 expansion draft. It’s the first big roster-building step for both franchises ahead of their debut season, and it should give fans a much clearer idea of how each front office wants to shape its team. Toronto won the coin toss for the top expansion pick, but deferred and decided to give Portland the top pick, taking the higher pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft instead. Toronto will still have plenty of chances to add talent thanks to the draft’s snake format.

WNBA expansion draft live tracker: Picks and roster updates

The 2026 WNBA expansion draft features Portland and Toronto selecting from the pool of unprotected players made available by the league’s 13 current teams. Each existing team was allowed to protect up to five players, with the rest eligible to be picked.

Portland Fire roster

This section will be updated with each pick as it happens.

1. Bridget Carleton
2. TBD
3. TBD
4. TBD
5. TBD
6. TBD
7. TBD
8. TBD
9. TBD
10. TBD
11. TBD
12. TBD

Toronto Tempo roster

This section will be updated with each pick as it happens.

1. Julie Allemand
2. Nyara Sabally
3. Marina Mabrey
4. Aaliyah Nye
5. Lexi Held
6. Maria Conde
7. TBD
8. TBD
9. TBD
10. TBD
11. TBD
12. TBD

How does the WNBA expansion draft work?

There’s a little more strategy involved here than in a normal draft. The expansion draft has two rounds, and each round can include up to 12 total selections, with up to six picks for Portland and up to six for Toronto. The Fire have the No. 1 pick in Round 1, while Toronto opens Round 2 in the snake format.

Here are the key rules fans need to know:

• Each of the 13 current WNBA teams submitted a roster list of players whose rights they hold.
• Each team could protect up to five players from that list.
• Portland and Toronto can each select up to 12 players total.
• No current team can lose more than two players overall, with a maximum of one player taken from that team in each round.
• Each expansion team can select only one player who is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent entering the 2026 season.
• If a player is selected, the expansion team takes on the same contract situation or player rights her previous team held.

There’s also already been movement before the draft even starts. Chicago reached separate agreements with both expansion teams, meaning neither Portland nor Toronto will select a Sky player. In those deals, Portland received the No. 17 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, while Toronto received the No. 26 pick.

WNBA expansion draft order

Because of the coin toss results, Portland picks first in Round 1, and Toronto picks first in Round 2. That gives the draft a back-and-forth feel all the way through.

Round 1 order

1. Portland
2. Toronto
3. Portland
4. Toronto
5. Portland
6. Toronto
7. Portland
8. Toronto
9. Portland
10. Toronto
11. Portland
12. Toronto

Round 2 order

1. Toronto
2. Portland
3. Toronto
4. Portland
5. Toronto
6. Portland
7. Toronto
8. Portland
9. Toronto
10. Portland
11. Toronto
12. Portland

What time is the WNBA expansion draft today?

The 2026 WNBA expansion draft is scheduled for Friday, April 3, at 3:30 p.m. ET. The event will air on ESPN, with streaming available through the ESPN App.

What comes next for Portland and Toronto?

The expansion draft is only the beginning. After this, both teams still have free agency and the 2026 WNBA Draft to help round out their inaugural rosters. Toronto currently holds the No. 6 pick in the college draft, while Portland holds No. 7.