WNBA players win big: New deal set to transform salaries and benefits

A lockout has been avoided. There’s a breakthrough in the WNBA. After more than 100 hours of negotiations, the league and the players reached an agreement on the key terms of a new collective bargaining agreement during their eighth meeting. The 2026 season will go ahead as planned.

And the timing couldn’t be more significant. Just hours after the next generation of USA Basketball completed a perfect run in the San Juan (Puerto Rico) pre-World Cup tournament, capped by a win over a strong Spanish team, women’s basketball in the United States has laid the foundation for players to fully capitalize on market opportunities and secure the financial rewards they have long sought.

What the historic CBA agreement means for the Women’s NBA

Journalist Annie Costabile first reported the agreement, which was later confirmed by WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert in a brief statement: “We have reached an agreement on the key elements of a new collective bargaining agreement.”

The deal was finalized at 3 a.m. with a champagne celebration at The Langham hotel in New York, a fitting end to months of intense negotiations that began in October and concluded just before the start of the new season.

The new terms will take effect in 2026. According to the WNBA, the league calendar remains unchanged despite the lengthy negotiations: preseason begins April 25, and the regular season tips off on May 8.

Players were represented in negotiations by union president Nneka Ogwumike, along with Breanna Stewart, Alysha Clark, Napheesa Collier and Brianna Turner. Kelsey Plum participated remotely while on national team duty.

“For the first time, player salaries will be tied to a truly meaningful share of league revenue,” Ogwumike explained. “This will drive exponential growth in the salary cap, push average player compensation above $500,000, and raise professional standards in facilities and staffing. Retirement benefits are strengthened, and resources for family planning are expanded. It redefines what it means to be a professional in the WNBA.”

“We’re proud of these players,” Engelbert added. “We believe this is a fair, win-win agreement. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be here.”

Before the deadline, and the threat of a strike, negotiations were far apart, with tensions spilling into the public. The players’ demands, however, came as no surprise. Talks escalated before the league, under pressure from NBA commissioner Adam Silver (with the NBA supporting the WNBA), made concessions to reach a deal.

Here are some of the projected changes:

• Salary cap expected to start at around $7 million per team, up from roughly $1.5 million previously
• Average player salaries projected to reach around $600,000, with minimum salaries exceeding $300,000
• Supermax salaries could rise to approximately $1.4 million
• Players expected to receive nearly 20% of league revenue through the new revenue-sharing model

“It’s going to be transformational,” said three-time champion Breanna Stewart.

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