The Professional Women's Hockey League is dramatically expanding its popular Takeover Tour for the upcoming season, with the Montreal Victoire set to bring elite women's hockey to five different markets across North America.
Montreal's Neutral-Site Schedule
The recently announced schedule reveals that Montreal Victoire will participate in five neutral-site games as part of the league's 16-game tour. The team's itinerary includes matches in both Canadian and American cities, providing fans across different regions with the opportunity to experience professional women's hockey firsthand.
The Victoire's Takeover Tour schedule includes:
- December 17 versus Toronto Sceptres at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax
- January 11 against Vancouver Goldeneyes at Videotron Centre in Quebec City
- January 18 facing New York Sirens at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
- March 22 taking on Ottawa Charge at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg
- March 28 meeting New York Sirens again at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit
Montreal will serve as the home team for their games in Quebec City and Detroit, bringing their distinctive brand of hockey to new audiences.
Expanded Tour Reaches New Markets
This season's Takeover Tour represents significant growth from the previous season's nine-game circuit. The expanded 16-game schedule introduces women's professional hockey to several new markets while building on the success of last year's tour.
The league has added seven new cities to this year's tour: Halifax, Washington, Winnipeg, Chicago, Dallas, Hamilton, and Calgary. Meanwhile, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Edmonton, and Halifax will each host two games during the season.
Notably, games in Washington, Winnipeg, Detroit, Edmonton, Dallas, Denver, and Calgary will all take place in National Hockey League arenas, demonstrating the growing prestige and drawing power of the women's league. The Chicago stop will occur at the city's American Hockey League venue.
Building on Previous Success
The Takeover Tour concept has proven remarkably successful for the PWHL. Last season's nine-game tour included sold-out events in Seattle and Vancouver, performances that directly contributed to those cities receiving expansion franchises for the current season.
The league reported impressive attendance figures for last year's tour, with a total of 123,601 fans attending the nine games, averaging 13,733 spectators per contest. These numbers underscore the growing appetite for professional women's hockey across North America.
Amy Scheer, PWHL executive vice president of business operations, emphasized how fan enthusiasm has driven the tour's expansion. "The passion and support from fans, and the enthusiasm from cities eager to engage with our league, have fuelled our ambition to grow the tour for season three," Scheer stated in the league's official announcement.
The success in Quebec City particularly stands out, where the Victoire's previous appearance at Videotron Centre drew over 18,000 spectators for a game against Ottawa Charge on January 19, 2025, creating an electric atmosphere that demonstrated the market's strong support for women's hockey.
The PWHL regular season begins on November 21, with Montreal playing their first game on November 23 in Boston before their home opener against New York on November 25. The Victoire will play most of their home schedule—12 of 15 games—at Place Bell in Laval, with one home game venue still to be announced.
