No 2026 WNBA Season?

Will there even be a 2026 WNBA season? That’s a legitimate question.

The fact that we are even having such discussions is downright crazy.

At the peak of its powers, in the midst of unprecedented growth for the first time in it’s almost 30-year history, the WNBA should be well-placed to cash in on the Caitlin Clark driven growth that has catapulted women’s basketball and the league into a business juggernaut.

Caitlin Clark has been a driving force in the league's success less than two full seasons into her career with the Indiana Fever. Photo - WNBA

Instead, we ponder whether there will be any WNBA basketball at all next season.

We’re not being dramatic here.

Just days after announcing a bold expansion plan that adds three new franchises in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia by 2030, the WNBA Players’ Association (WNBPA) announced this week that the players have rejected the league’s initial collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

Furthermore, the players have strongly made their thoughts on the situation known.

“It’s a slap in the face," Satou Sabally stated when she was asked by media on Tuesday what her thoughts were on the recent offer that was received from WNBA front office.

Satou Sabally was strong in her comments post-game with the Mercury. Photo - Phoenix Mercury.

“I love to see the game growing, but let’s focus on the teams that have everything set up now.”

The face of the New York Liberty franchise Breanna Stewart was also quick to comment.

“It’s absolutely frustrating," said Stewart. “They’ve kind of just ignored everything we said.”

Breanna Stewart is frustrated about the lack of progress made on the new CBA. Photo - New York Liberty

So where did this all come from?

For those late to the party, the day after the Liberty lifted the 2024 WNBA Championship trophy, defeating the Minnesota Lynx, the WNBPA opted out of the current CBA.

It set up a situation where 2025 would be the last year on the current iteration.

The move to opt out of the current CBA was certainly strategic, and smart. The WNBA have a new media rights deal set to begin in 2026, a deal worth $2.2 billion. That deal is more than three times the worth of the current arrangement.

For the first time in a long time a high percentage of players will become free agents in 2026, purposely preparing themselves for a chance to sign larger contracts. More than 100 players will become unrestricted free agents at the end of the 2025 season. It is shaping to be one of the biggest player movement windows in the history of professional sports.

21 of the 24 WNBA All-Stars from 2024 will be free agents, including the last two league MVP’s, A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart.

Reigning league MPV A'ja Wilson has her sights set on free agency in 2026. Photo - Las Vegas Aces

Whilst the league is transforming before our very eyes, the players argue that their compensation has not kept pace.

The current maximum salary is $241,984, while rookies can earn as little as $64,154. Most recently we saw Caitlin Clark highlight publicly that the winners of the Commissioner’s Cup earn more than WNBA champions, highlighting pay disparities.

Caitlin Clark commented post the Indiana Fever's Commissioner's Cup victory against the Minnesota Lynx.

The WNBPA is advocating for a new economic model that includes a softer salary cap and an equity-based system that grows with the league's success.

The stakes are high.

The breakdown in negotiations comes at a time when the league is poised for even more growth. The Golden State Valkyries, in season one, have sold out every home game and almost overnight have become the most valuable team in the league – an evaluation made by Sportico - who also noted that the average team value had increased 180%.

It also comes off the back of a successful inaugural season for new 3x3 league ‘Unrivaled’.

Founded by two of the superstars of the WNBA, Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, the league presented not only an adjusted format, but also a big change in conditions.

Stewart and Collier established 3x3 league Unrivaled which began in early 2025.

The average salary for players who signed up to Unrivaled was $220,000 for three months. That matches the highest average salary of any professional women’s sports league and is far more than the WNBA’s average of $119,590 in 2024.

Unrivaled is considered a great opportunity for a number of reasons. Firstly, players now have an option to stay home and play domestic basketball rather than travel across Europe to earn a living.

Secondly, it presents another opportunity to earn some good money - money they potentially haven’t had access to before.

In addition, there is great importance when it comes to the conditions which players have suggested are far better than those provided by the WNBA.

“From living arrangements to the amenities, they’re going above and beyond to treat us the way we deserve to be treated. It’s been great so far," said WNBA star Alyssa Thomas.

Alyssa Thomas was part of the Laces in the inaugural Unrivaled season. Photo - Unrivaled

Other players have praised the league for the likes of housing, childcare, gym facilities and meals provided.

There is no doubt that the success of Unrivaled sets the scene for what players expect in a professional women’s basketball environment.

“There’s such an explosion in women’s sports right now, and it kind of felt like everyone was profiting instead of the women in the sport,” Napheesa Collier said during a TNT interview earlier this year.

Collier took out the 1x1 competition mid-way through season one of Unrivaled. Photo - Unrivaled

“I do believe this will be beneficial for our CBA. Having alternative options will help us create the best player experience possible, which we want to bring to the WNBA as well.”

With an in-person meeting set to take place over the All-Star break in Indianapolis, players and fans alike will be watching with interest. For a league set for transformational change, a potential work stoppage looms large.

Momentum could be lost, and players are ready and willing to stop play.

The future of the league depends on the outcome of this CBA. As the league continues to grow in popularity and financial strength, aligning the interests of players and management is crucial. Achieving a fair and equitable agreement will not only benefit current stakeholders but also set a precedent for the league's long-term success.

Watch this space.