Batter up! Women's Professional Baseball League announces tryout dates, location

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Fans pack Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., where the Women’s Professional Baseball League will hold its final tryout game this August ahead of its historic 2026 launch.

A historic new chapter in women’s sports will take shape this summer at Nationals Park, where hundreds of players will compete for a spot in the country’s first professional women’s baseball league in over 70 years.

The Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL) is holding its first official tryout camp Aug. 22–25 in Washington, D.C., as the league pushes toward its 2026 debut. Out of more than 600 players registered, only 150 will be selected to enter the league’s inaugural draft this fall.

What are the WPBL tryouts and when are they happening?

Tryouts will take place over four days in Washington, D.C., with players reporting to the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy for three days of drills, performance testing, and evaluations.

The final day, Aug. 25, will feature a live game played at Nationals Park, after which the final round of cuts will determine the 150 players invited to the October draft.

Team USA women’s baseball standout and WPBL special adviser Alex Hugo will lead the tryout process.

"We are really excited to see all of the players at tryouts this summer and see their incredible skills," Hugo said in a statement. "We’re building a future where girls and women who love baseball can dream as big as they want and now, finally, have a league to call their own."

Why is this league historic for women’s baseball?

The backstory:

The WPBL is the first professional league for women in the sport since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League disbanded in 1954. That league was famously portrayed in the film "A League of Their Own."

This new league was co-founded by Justine Siegal, who broke ground as the first woman to coach in Major League Baseball. Now she’s helping lead a long-awaited return of pro-level baseball for women.

What we know:

Key details about the tryouts and the league’s next steps have already been announced:

• The WPBL aims to launch with six teams in spring 2026.
• Tryouts will be used to determine who makes it to the October player draft.
• The final showcase will be held at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.

What we don't know:

Still, several questions remain as the WPBL works toward its first season:

• Which cities will host the league’s inaugural six teams.
• Which media platforms will air or stream games once the league launches.
• Whether additional tryouts or development camps will be held after the draft.

Who’s backing the league and what’s next for WPBL?

Big picture view:

The WPBL has already secured a media partnership with Fremantle, the production company behind "The Price Is Right" and "Family Feud."

It has also brought on global women’s sports investor Assia Grazioli-Venier as league chair, signaling serious financial and institutional support ahead of its debut season.

What's next:

The tryouts and October draft will help the league finalize rosters ahead of spring training and team formation. More announcements about coaches, cities, and team branding are expected in the coming months as the league builds momentum toward opening day in 2026.