If the devoted fandom surrounding this year’s World Series Championship is any indication, Los Angeles has baseball fever yet again. But are Angelenos ready to embrace a new baseball team in their hearts and on their jerseys? Especially a baseball team fully comprised of female players?
A brand-new professional baseball league just for women is coming to L.A. next year. The Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL) is having its inaugural season in the summer of 2026.
Justine Siegal, former Major League Baseball coach and Keith Stein, Intercounty Baseball League team owner, co-founded the league in 2024. The new league’s goal is to give college and amateur female players an avenue to play the sport at a professional level. The success of the Women’s National Basketball Association inspired the co-founders to hop on the growing wave of visibility for women’s sports and extend this reach to baseball.
Continuing a Legacy of Women’s Baseball
The new Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL) will become the fifth professional women’s baseball league in U.S. history, carrying forward a legacy that began in the 1940s. From the groundbreaking All-American Girls Professional Baseball League and its Chicago rival, the National Girls Baseball League, to later efforts like the International Girls Baseball League and the 1997 Ladies League Baseball, each paved the way for this modern revival of women’s professional play.
A New Era of Women’s Baseball Begins
The league’s inaugural season will unfold over seven exciting weeks. They’ll have four weeks of regular-season play, one week dedicated to the all-star competition, and two weeks of playoffs.
Players selected for the season will receive housing and compensation, with pay provided per game. Pay rates will vary based on draft position, ensuring that every athlete is recognized for their talent and contribution to the game.
Major Cities, Historic Baseball Roots
The WPBL has announced Los Angeles, New York, Boston, and San Francisco as the first four host cities for its teams. Known for their rich baseball traditions and devoted fanbases, these cities offer the perfect stage for the league’s debut. By launching in these iconic markets, the WPBL seeks to honor the sport’s history while bringing fresh competition and greater representation for women in baseball’s most passionate communities.