Justine Siegal, known for breaking barriers in Major League Baseball, is now working on a new venture: an American women’s professional baseball league set to start in 2026. Alongside Keith Stein, Siegal is launching the Women’s Pro Baseball League (WPBL) with the goal of creating a league just for women players.
To add credibility to this project, they’ve brought on board some big names as advisors. Among them are Cito Gaston, who has won the World Series as a manager, and Ayami Sato from Japan’s Women’s Baseball League. The WPBL plans to kick off with six teams mainly based in the Northeast U.S., aiming for full seasons complete with playoffs and championships.
“The Women’s Pro Baseball League is here for all the girls and women who dream of a place to showcase their talents and play the game they love,” said Siegal in their press release. “We have been waiting over 70 years for a professional baseball league we can call our own. Our time is now.” Stein added that other successful women’s leagues like WNBA show there’s great interest in women’s sports.
Building Momentum:
The WPBL hopes to secure a national TV deal before its first season starts. Fans might think this could be an exciting step forward for women’s sports! Meanwhile, Kelsie Whitmore continues blazing trails by playing in various independent leagues across America like the Atlantic League and Pioneer League.
The U.S. team has had success too, winning two Women’s Baseball World Cups and finishing second recently at the event held last year (2023). What do you think about this new league?
