The WNBA and Women’s National Basketball Players Association reached a verbal collective bargaining agreement early Wednesday, just 51 days before the league’s 30th season tips off in May. The deal, struck after more than 100 hours of negotiations in New York, still requires formal ratification by players and the WNBA board of governors.
Per ESPN sources cited by Shams Charania, the agreement includes a new salary cap starting at $7 million, up dramatically from just $1.5 million. Average player compensation is projected around $600,000, with a minimum salary above $300,000 and a supermax figure starting at $1.4 million. Players will receive an average revenue share of nearly 20 percent across the deal.
“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 standard across facilities, staffing and support,” said WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert confirmed the extended talks will not disrupt the 2026 schedule. Training camp opens April 19, preseason begins April 25, and the regular season starts May 8. The college draft remains set for April 13.
“This deal is going to be transformational,” said Breanna Stewart. “It’s going to build and help create a system where everybody is getting exactly what they deserve.”
The agreement is the sixth CBA in league history, following deals in 1999, 2003, 2008, 2014 and 2020. Players opted out of the previous CBA in October 2024, with talks growing contentious over recent months.
The league must still conduct an expansion draft and free agency for over 100 players once ratification is complete.