For the first time, Montreal will host professional basketball regular-season games. While the Toronto Raptors, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics and other teams have rolled in and laced up for NBA preseason games in the past, the two WNBA games at the Bell Centre will be a historic event. As part of the cross-Canada tour, the expansion team Toronto Tempo (9-12) and Canadian star Kia Nurse play the Dallas Wings (14-8) on Friday at 7:30 p.m., then the 2024 champion New York Liberty (13-9) on Sunday at 3 p.m. The Tempo is hoping for a sellout at the 22,000-seat arena, which would be an attendance record at a regular-season WNBA game. The current record is 20,711 held by the Washington Mystics at Capital One Arena in Washington. “Playing two games in Montreal this summer is a huge moment for the Tempo and for basketball in Canada,” said Tempo president Teresa Resch. “From the beginning, we’ve said we want to be Canada’s team, and bringing the WNBA to Montreal is an important part of that vision. There is such a strong and passionate basketball community in Quebec, and we’re excited to connect with fans there in a meaningful way. We can’t wait to experience the energy inside the Bell Centre and continue growing the game across the country together.”
