Unrivaled is returning in 2027 after record-setting Philly debut: ‘It was a no-brainer to come back’
The three-on-three professional women’s basketball league set multiple attendance records at Xfinity Mobile Arena during its first-ever tour stop earlier this year.
After a record-setting debut at Xfinity Mobile Arena in 2026, Unrivaled will return to South Philadelphia on Feb. 15, 2027.
The South Florida-based three-on-three women’s basketball league made hit the road for the first time in 2026, bringing four of its eight teams to Philadelphia for its inaugural tour stop.
“It was our first tour stop ever, and because we broke every attendance record, it was a no-brainer to come back to Philly,” Unrivaled commissioner Micky Lawler said. “It felt like Philly was part of our family, and we’d worked hard to get there and to do what we did there. So it was like Thanksgiving coming back.”
The Philly stop was the most-attended women’s professional basketball game in history and set venue attendance records at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Celebrities like Dawn Staley, Kylie and Jason Kelce, Kyle Lowry, Robin Roberts, and Leslie Jones were in the building, and big names like Paige Bueckers, Marina Mabrey, and locals Natasha Cloud and Kahleah Copper were on the court for the 2026 doubleheader.
“It was unbelievable,” cofounder Napheesa Collier said. “You could feel the love tonight. I’m so glad we came here. I just can’t explain it more than I was just so filled up with joy. It was amazing.”
Lawler could not confirm which of Unrivaled’s teams or players would play in the 2027 tour stop. The four clubs will be finalized later in December.
The event was such a success that Unrivaled moved the semifinals of its playoffs to the Barclays Center and is embarking on a multicity road trip this winter, starting with Boston.
Ashley Lunkenheimer, vice president of the Philadelphia Sisters, an organization dedicated to bringing professional women’s sports to Philadelphia, said attendees from last year’s event already are inquiring about purchasing suites, and there’s increased sponsorship interest. Tickets go on sale for the general public at noon.
The Sisters played a critical role in attracting Unrivaled to Philly, which provided proof of concept that women’s sports can be successful in the city. Lunkenheimer hopes Unrivaled’s continued presence in the city helps to lay the foundation for Philadelphia’s WNBA team, which is set to begin play in 2030.
“For Philadelphia specifically, it’s the makings, I hope, of a season ticket list, right?” Lunkenheimer said. “... We need to build back the awareness for the broader crowds, so they all know when the WNBA comes.”
Unrivaled was the first major pro women’s basketball event in Philly since 1998. Philly’s embrace of it ensured it won’t be the last.
“It was a mutual opportunity to showcase that we believed in our city and in Unrivaled,” Lunkenheimer said. “I’d like to believe that’s why New York and Barclays said, ‘Let’s jump on that.’ Now they’re going to all these other cities because every other city is saying, ‘We want it.’ They could have said, ‘Well, we’re going to skip Philly. We already did that.’ But they didn’t. They value that partnership.”
Before the three-on-three professional women's basketball league returns to Philly, catch up on our coverage of last year's stop at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
- Unrivaled’s Philadelphia spectacle delivers not just a big crowd, but a profitable one
- Unrivaled stars experience Philly’s passion for basketball at record-breaking doubleheader: ‘We felt that tonight’
- Unrivaled brought the hoops, but Philly brought the energy. With WNBA on the way, ‘this is just the beginning.’
- Kahleah Copper shares North Philly with Unrivaled teammates: ‘I really made it because of y’all’
- Natasha Cloud thrilled that ‘Young Tash’ gets Philly hoops homecoming: ‘I carry this city everywhere I go’
- Here’s why Unrivaled picked Philadelphia to be the first stop on its nationwide tour
- 📸 Photos from Philly is Unrivaled
