Blab Sports
Ottawa Charge Secure Canadian Tire Centre as Home Arena for 2026-27 PWHL Season
When the Associated Press reported on June 18, 2026, the Ottawa Charge announced a new home venue for the 2026‑27 Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) season: the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata, the Ottawa Senators’ NHL arena. The decision follows months of talks that began in March, when Charge and Senators officials revealed a shared vision for a long‑term partnership.
The move comes as TD Place Arena, the Charge’s former home, undergoes renovations that will trim its seating capacity by roughly 2,000 seats. The venue’s original 8,500 seats are being reduced to 5,700, with an added 900 standing‑room spots. PWHL officials said the smaller capacity would pose a financial barrier, making it impossible to sustain the Charge in Ottawa without a larger arena.
The Charge’s 2025‑26 playoff run at the Canadian Tire Centre proved the point. Four playoff games drew an average of 13,416 fans, while a regular‑season match attracted 17,114 spectators—just shy of the arena’s 18,655‑seat limit. In contrast, the Charge averaged 7,382 attendees over 12 regular‑season games at TD Place, with 10 games exceeding 6,600 fans. Including the Canadian Tire Centre game, the team’s overall average rose to 8,131.
Since the league’s inaugural 2024 season, the Charge have been one of PWHL’s six charter franchises. They played their first three seasons at TD Place before moving to the Canadian Tire Centre for playoffs. The new agreement keeps the team in Ottawa’s suburbs for the next full season, averting a potential relocation that would have left the city without a PWHL team.
The Charge have reached the best‑of‑five Walter Cup Finals twice, losing both times. The most recent defeat came in a Game 4 series‑clinching loss to the Montreal Victoire. Maintaining the Charge in Ottawa is therefore vital for preserving the league’s Canadian fan base and supporting the development of women’s professional hockey in the region.
The Canadian Tire Centre opened in 1996 as the Palladium and has been home to the Ottawa Senators since its opening. Its larger capacity and modern facilities make it a suitable venue for the Charge’s home games, and the partnership aligns with the PWHL’s goal of securing stable, high‑profile venues for its teams.
League officials said the Charge’s move to the Canadian Tire Centre is part of a broader strategy to secure venues that can accommodate larger crowds and provide better revenue opportunities for the league’s teams. The PWHL, which began play in 2024, remains the only professional women’s hockey league in North America.
The agreement is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks, after the Charge and Senators officials completed productive talks in March. The Charge’s management confirmed that the new arrangement will be in place for the 2026‑27 season, allowing the team to focus on on‑ice performance while securing a venue that meets its financial and fan‑experience needs.
With the Charge’s future in Ottawa now secured, the team will prepare for the next season while continuing to compete for the Walter Cup. The league’s schedule for the 2026‑27 season has not yet been released, but the Charge’s home games will take place at the Canadian Tire Centre, ensuring that Ottawa remains a key location in the PWHL’s national footprint.
The Charge’s decision to stay in Ottawa and play at the Canadian Tire Centre underscores the importance of venue stability for professional women’s hockey. The partnership provides a platform for the Charge to grow its fan base, attract sponsorships, and contribute to the broader development of women’s sports in Canada.
As the PWHL moves forward, the Charge’s new home will be a focal point for the league’s efforts to expand its reach and solidify its presence in major Canadian markets. The team’s continued participation in Ottawa will help maintain the league’s visibility and support the growth of women’s hockey across the country.
The move comes as TD Place Arena, the Charge’s former home, undergoes renovations that will trim its seating capacity by roughly 2,000 seats. The venue’s original 8,500 seats are being reduced to 5,700, with an added 900 standing‑room spots. PWHL officials said the smaller capacity would pose a financial barrier, making it impossible to sustain the Charge in Ottawa without a larger arena.
The Charge’s 2025‑26 playoff run at the Canadian Tire Centre proved the point. Four playoff games drew an average of 13,416 fans, while a regular‑season match attracted 17,114 spectators—just shy of the arena’s 18,655‑seat limit. In contrast, the Charge averaged 7,382 attendees over 12 regular‑season games at TD Place, with 10 games exceeding 6,600 fans. Including the Canadian Tire Centre game, the team’s overall average rose to 8,131.
Since the league’s inaugural 2024 season, the Charge have been one of PWHL’s six charter franchises. They played their first three seasons at TD Place before moving to the Canadian Tire Centre for playoffs. The new agreement keeps the team in Ottawa’s suburbs for the next full season, averting a potential relocation that would have left the city without a PWHL team.
The Charge have reached the best‑of‑five Walter Cup Finals twice, losing both times. The most recent defeat came in a Game 4 series‑clinching loss to the Montreal Victoire. Maintaining the Charge in Ottawa is therefore vital for preserving the league’s Canadian fan base and supporting the development of women’s professional hockey in the region.
The Canadian Tire Centre opened in 1996 as the Palladium and has been home to the Ottawa Senators since its opening. Its larger capacity and modern facilities make it a suitable venue for the Charge’s home games, and the partnership aligns with the PWHL’s goal of securing stable, high‑profile venues for its teams.
League officials said the Charge’s move to the Canadian Tire Centre is part of a broader strategy to secure venues that can accommodate larger crowds and provide better revenue opportunities for the league’s teams. The PWHL, which began play in 2024, remains the only professional women’s hockey league in North America.
The agreement is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks, after the Charge and Senators officials completed productive talks in March. The Charge’s management confirmed that the new arrangement will be in place for the 2026‑27 season, allowing the team to focus on on‑ice performance while securing a venue that meets its financial and fan‑experience needs.
With the Charge’s future in Ottawa now secured, the team will prepare for the next season while continuing to compete for the Walter Cup. The league’s schedule for the 2026‑27 season has not yet been released, but the Charge’s home games will take place at the Canadian Tire Centre, ensuring that Ottawa remains a key location in the PWHL’s national footprint.
The Charge’s decision to stay in Ottawa and play at the Canadian Tire Centre underscores the importance of venue stability for professional women’s hockey. The partnership provides a platform for the Charge to grow its fan base, attract sponsorships, and contribute to the broader development of women’s sports in Canada.
As the PWHL moves forward, the Charge’s new home will be a focal point for the league’s efforts to expand its reach and solidify its presence in major Canadian markets. The team’s continued participation in Ottawa will help maintain the league’s visibility and support the growth of women’s hockey across the country.
