There was a time when it looked like we might not get here. Contentious offseason collective bargaining negotiations put the future of the league in doubt. Both sides eventually came to terms on a long-term deal and the 2026 WNBA season will take place as scheduled.
When Does the 2026 WNBA Season Start?
The landmark 30th season of the WNBA opens on Friday, May 8 with three games on the slate. The addition of expansion teams in Portland and Toronto have increased league membership to 15 teams with all of them playing the opening weekend.
- The season officially starts on Friday, May 8 with three games on the slate. All 15 teams will begin the campaign on opening weekend with 22 games total.
- The preseason WNBA championship favorite New York Liberty opens the season on Friday night hosting Connecticut. The expansion Toronto Tempo plays its first game entertaining the Washington Mystics. The Friday trio concludes with last season’s surprise Golden State Valkyries visiting the Seattle Storm.
- Context around the start of the season: The WNBA can put the tense offseason CBA negotiations behind it and play basketball amidst a big expansion and shifts to the rosters of several teams. The 2026 WNBA campaign is easily the most anticipated in the history of the league.
Key Dates for the 2026 WNBA Season
Key dates during the offseason witnessed the ratification of a new CBA, the expansion draft to stock the rosters of the newest teams Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, and the 2026 player draft with UConn star Azzi Fudd going to Dallas with the No. 1 pick. Here is a list of in-season key dates.
- WNBA Tip-Off 2026 begins with a trio of games on opening night, Friday, May 8.
- The WNBA All-Star Game is scheduled to be played on Saturday, July 25 at United Center in Chicago. Additional events include the 3-point contest and skills challenge the night before the game.
- The 44-game regular season for each team will conclude on Thursday, September 24.
- The first round of the WNBA playoffs is scheduled to begin on Sunday, September 27.
- The semifinal series winners will meet in the 2026 WNBA Finals, which are projected to start in mid-October.
How the WNBA Season Format Works
The addition of expansion teams Portland and Toronto bring membership in the WNBA to 15 for the 2026 season. It’s the most teams since the 2002 season when 16 clubs competed. This is also the second consecutive year teams will play a 44-game regular season with 22 at home and 22 on the road.
- Membership in the WNBA is the highest it’s been in more than two decades with 15 teams taking the hardwood in 2026.
- Though three new clubs were added in the last two years the number of regular season games remains the same. Teams will play 44 regular season games with that number split evenly between home and road contests.
- The eight teams with the highest winning percentage among all clubs advance to the post season. Tie break procedures established by the WNBA will be used in case two or more teams finish with identical records.
- WNBA playoffs will consist of three rounds with the opening round a best-of-three format. Winners advance to a best-of-five semifinal series with the championship round consisting of a maximum of seven games.
Teams to Watch in the 2026 WNBA Season
With three WNBA titles in the last four seasons and two-time reigning league MVP A’ja Wilson anchoring the middle, the Las Vegas Aces are among the preseason favorites to repeat.
Wilson captured the WNBA’s highest individual honor for fourth time last season and earned the trifecta with the WNBA Finals MVP after her club won the title. Wilson is just one of several elite talents on the squad along with Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray and Jewell Loyd
The only team besides Las Vegas to win the title in the last four years is New York, and who knows what the Liberty could have done had their core been healthy last postseason. The trio of Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones played only about 235 minutes together during the regular season.
The trio is back joined by Satou Sabally giving the Liberty a stacked roster. If they remain healthy another championship run is more than likely.
WNBA fans missed out on the biggest draw last year when Indiana’s Caitlin Clark spent most of the season injured and on the bench. With Sophie Cunningham and others also out of the lineup the Fever took Las Vegas to overtime in a winner-take-all Game 5 semifinal contest.
A healthy Clark and Kelsey Mitchell give Indiana one of the best backcourts in the league and 2023 No. 1 overall pick Aliyah Boston is an underrated star. Cunningham provides energy and top draft pick Raven Johnson will fit right in as a scorer and defender while improving the Fever’s depth.
The Atlanta Dream closed last season on a strong run winning a franchise record 30 games. Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard and Jordin Canada are back as returning starters and the club added Angel Reese in a huge offseason trade. Getting Brionna Jones back from a knee injury will help Atlanta’s overall success.
Early Championship Favorites
- New York Liberty – Slid into the top spot on the WNBA futures board following the acquisition of Sabally. The Liberty had already locked up its big three of Stewart, Ionescu and Jones, and with better luck on the injury front the Liberty will be in contention.
- Indiana Fever – Another team decimated by injuries last season, the Fever are hopeful superstar Caitlin Clark can play more than the 13 games she was in last season. Despite the absence of several key players Indiana took eventual champion Las Vegas to OT in Game 5 of their semifinal series. The additional depth along with Clark and Cunningham returning puts the Fever among the favorites.
Biggest Roster Moves and Offseason Changes
The offseason has been one of if not the most chaotic in WNBA history. There was the threat of a strike until the league and players reached a historic new agreement. Fueled by that contract and the addition of two expansion teams, player movement was rampant.
- The Chicago Sky dealing two-time All-Star Angel Reese to Atlanta for draft picks was the biggest move. That wasn’t the only Chicago trade, though. The Sky shipped veteran PG Ariel Atkins to Los Angeles in exchange for promising forward Rickea Jackson.
- The Sky continued to alter its roster through free agency signing Skylar Diggins to a 2-year deal. Other major free agent deals saw former MVP Nneka Ogwumike return to the Sparks while Brittney Griner landed in Connecticut.
- With the No. 1 overall pick for a second consecutive year the Dallas Wings selected Azzi Fudd, a UConn teammate of 2025 No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers. Olivia Miles, the preseason favorite for Rookie of the Year, was drafted second overall by Minnesota.
Impact Players Joining New Teams
The new CBA has led to unprecedented player movement during the offseason. For several reasons the player likely to have the biggest impact with her new team is Angel Reese. A two-time All-Star and rebounding leader, Reese joins a team that posted the most wins in franchise history in 2025. Reese alienated teammates last year in Chicago and many felt the trade was to clean the locker room.
Last season Golden State became the first expansion team in WNBA history to reach the playoffs and looks to build on the success of a 23-win season. The Valkyries made a splash signing Gabby Williams. The defensive gem provides the young team with veteran leadership in what GMs voted the top impact acquisition.
Top Players to Watch This Season
Top end talent continues to feed the WNBA is what is the most anticipated of the league’s 30 seasons.
- A’ja Wilson is the WNBA’s biggest star. In the prime of her career Wilson has already won four MVP awards and three league championships. She averaged 23.4 points last season, her third straight with at least 22 points, and 10.2 rebounds. Wilson also earned DPOY honors for the third time in four years.
- Caitlin Clark has propelled the WNBA to new heights and she’s ready for a bounce back season. A variety of injuries limited her to just 13 games last season, but she enters 2026 healthy.
- Getting the chance to have a breakout season and actually doing it are two different things. Seattle’s Dominique Malonga will get the chance with Ezi Magbegor missing the start of the season with an injury and Nneka Ogwumike in Los Angeles. Malonga averaged 7.7 points and 4.6 rebounds in just 14.3 minutes in her 2025 rookie season.
- A healthy Cameron Brink is essential to helping the Sparks end a 5-year playoff drought. Brink returned from a knee injury late last season and former second overall pick is primed for a big year
- Fudd stands out as the most notable rookie just by her draft position as No. 1 overall. Many WNBA experts, however, view No. 3 pick Awa Fam as having the highest ceiling. The 6-4 Spanish center will have every opportunity to grow in the Seattle lineup.
Opening Week Games to Watch
There are some dazzling matchups in the first week of the 2026 WNBA regular season. On opening night May 8 Canada will debut its first WNBA team when the Toronto Tempo, led by two time champion coach Sandy Brondello, host the Washington Mystics.
The Saturday matchup between the Dallas Wings and Indiana Fever features teams with high expectations for the season. In a rarity it also has the last four No. 1 overall draft picks making it a must see. Indy’s Aliyah Boston (2023) and Caitlin Clark (2024) host Dallas’ Paige Bueckers (2025) and Azzi Fudd (2026).
Las Vegas begins defense of its title with a 2025 WNBA Finals rematch against Phoenix on Saturday. The Aces swept the series 4-0 with A’ja Wilson earning MVP honors.
Where to Watch the 2026 WNBA Season
The 2026 WNBA season has an expanded broadcast schedule with several partners, including the return of the WNBA on NBC, to air a record 216 regular season games.
- National TV games are spread across several outlets including: ABC, ESPN, CBS, NBC, ION, USA Network and NBA TV.
- NBC broadcasts will be streamed on Peacock and CBS games on Paramount+. ESPN+ gets select ABC contests while Amazon Prime Video also has streaming rights.
- Regional sports networks and local stations will air remaining in market games. WNBA League Pass is the primary provider for out-of-market games not on national TV.
What to Expect From the 2026 WNBA Season
One key storyline heading into the 2026 season is whether the new CBA helps with the overall competitive balance of the league. And with players seeing a massive increase in pay, does that help the on-court product?
With the economic landscape of the WNBA altered by the new CBA and an unprecedented number of games on national television, players perform better. The new contract will help expansion teams Toronto and Portland from a competitive standpoint with more resources to stock a strong roster.
No team since the Houston Comets won the first four WNBA championships has had the run of success the Aces are enjoying. They cemented their dynasty last year with a third title in four years and the core of the group returns in its prime led by four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson.
