WNBA, players union reportedly agree to new CBA: What we know about historic deal
The WNBA and its players agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement in the early morning hours on Wednesday
The WNBA and the Women's National Basketball Players Association have agreed to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement, according to Front Office Sports. The agreement, reached in the early morning hours on Wednesday, ends a bitter labor fight that lasted for more than a year and ensures that the 2026 season will start on time.
Details of the new CBA were not fully known on Wednesday morning, but supermax salaries will be at least $1 million, per FOS. The 2026 WNBA regular season, the 30th in league history, is set to tip off on May 8. Before that, the 2026 WNBA Draft will be held on April 13. Training camps will then open on April 19, followed by preseason games beginning on April 25. The dates for the double expansion draft and free agency are still unclear.
"For the first time, player salaries are tied to a truly meaningful share of league revenue, driving exponential growth in the salary cap, increasing average compensation beyond half a million dollars, and raising the professional standard across facilities, staffing, and support," WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike told Front Office Sports. "It strengthens housing and retirement, and expands resources for family planning and parental leave. It redefines what it means to be a professional in this league."
The previous CBA, which the two sides agreed to in 2020, was initially set to run through the 2027 season, but the players triggered an opt-out clause in October of 2024. That changed the expiration date of the previous CBA to Oct. 31, following the conclusion of the 2025 season.
As Oct. 31 approached, negotiations remained in a stalemate, so the two sides agreed to a 30-day extension until Nov. 30. There was no significant movement over those 30 days, so they agreed to another 40-day extension, pushing the deadline back to Jan. 9.
The Jan. 9 deadline also came and went without a deal, but the two sides opted against another extension. Instead, the period of status quo began. During status quo, the conditions of the previous CBA remained in place, but either side could have engaged in a work stoppage -- either via a lockout by the owners or a strike by the players.
On Dec. 18, in the middle of the second extension, the WNBPA authorized the executive committee to "call a strike when necessary" in a historic vote. The players ultimately did not strike, however, and the league avoided its first ever work stoppage.
The league did not avoid a serious disruption to the offseason, though. With no deal in place, the double expansion draft for the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire and free agency have not been able to take place. Both of those tentpole offseason items will need to be completed in the coming weeks before the 2026 season can begin.
"We're proud of these players," WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert told FOS. "We think it's a fair win, win deal for all or we wouldn't be standing here right now."
Over the last year, the players grew increasingly frustrated with the league and Engelbert. At All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, the players wore warm-up shirts that read "Pay Us What You Owe Us" prior to the All-Star Game. Then, as the 2025 season neared a close, Minnesota Lynx star and WNBPA Vice President Napheesa Collier delivered a scathing rebuke of Engelbert during her exit interview.
"We have the best players in the world. We have the best fans in the world. But right now we have the worst leadership in the world," Collier said, while also accusing Engelebert of making disparaging remarks about players, including Caitlin Clark.
There was also infighting among the WNBPA. Notably, Breanna Stewart and Kelsey Plum sent a letter to to WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson earlier this month, expressing their "serious concerns" about how non-player union staff was handling negotiations.
While the personal issues often stole the headlines, the financial dispute between the two sides was the primary reason it took so long to get a new deal. The players wanted not only higher salaries, but a new revenue-sharing model, which they ultimately got.
"This deal is going to be transformational," Stewart said. "It's going to build and help create a system where everybody is getting exactly what they deserve and more, from on the court and off the court aspects. Just excited that we can tell our fans that we're going to be back."
