PHOENIX — The 2025 WNBA season is in the books after the Las Vegas Aces swept the Phoenix Mercury to win their third title in four years. Now, all eyes shift to the looming collective bargaining agreement deadline.
The offseason will be one of the most important in league history. The league’s newest franchises, the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, will begin play during the 2026 season, which will be WNBA’s 30th anniversary. But the draft lottery, expansion drafts and subsequent free agency period are all contingent on a new CBA, and the WNBA and WNBPA remain far apart on a deal as the Oct. 31 deadline rapidly approaches.
Minnesota Lynx All-Star forward Napheesa Collier, who serves as the WNBPA vice president, highlighted just how far the divide stretches by publicly criticizing WNBA commissioner Cathy Englebert as negotiations have slowed.
‘We have the worst leadership in the world,’ Collier said on Sept. 30. ‘We go to battle every day to protect a shield that doesn’t value us. The league believes it succeeds despite its players, not because of them.’
What’s next for the WNBA? What happens if they don’t reach an agreement? Will there be a 2026 season? Here’s everything you need to know as the current agreement is set to end in less than three weeks.
When does the current WNBA CBA run out?
The current CBA, which was signed into effect in January 2020, shortly after Engelbert took over as commissioner in 2019, was originally set to expire in 2027 after eight seasons. The WNBPA, however, exercised its right to opt out of the agreement last October amid unprecedented league growth, meaning the CBA now ends on Oct. 31, 2025.
Collier previously said the players have prioritized ‘two main points’ of concern amid negotiations — increased revenue sharing and salary structures.
Under the current agreement, WNBA players receive 9.3% of the league’s revenue, according to Market Watch, which includes income generated through ticket sales, TV deals, licensing and merchandise. The WNBA’s revenue share agreement is significantly lower than other professional leagues. NBA players receive 49-51% of all basketball-related income, while NFL players get 48% of all revenue and NHL players receive 50% of revenue.
What happens if new CBA not reached by deadline?
Engelbert hinted at the possibility of an extension, which allows the league to operate under the current CBA for a temporary period to avoid a stoppage as negotiations continue between the WNBA and WNBPA. Both sides agreed to a 60-day extension in 2019 before reaching an agreement on the current CBA on Jan. 14, 2020, ahead of free agency.
‘While I hope we make the October 31st deadline, and that is a real deadline from that perspective, we have extended deadlines in the past,’ Engelbert said during her press conference ahead of the WNBA Finals on Oct. 3. ‘Last time, when I was only a couple days on the job, we got to an extension and got a deal done that was progressive at the time. So again, I feel confident that we can get a deal done, but if not, I think we could do an extension.’
If they don’t reach an agreement before the CBA expires, or by the extension deadline if one is agreed upon, the league will experience a work stoppage and temporarily shut down until a contract is signed. That means players will not be able to access team facilities. There would be no draft lottery, expansion drafts, free agency, trades, WNBA draft, training camps or preseason until a new CBA is reached.
Has there ever been a WNBA lockout?
When are the WNBA expansion drafts?
The Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire are set to join the league in 2026 as the 14th and 15th franchises of the WNBA, but the teams may have to wait a little longer to begin assembling their inaugural rosters.
When the Golden State Valkyries joined the league as the 13th franchise in 2025, the team’s expansion draft was held on Dec. 6, 2024. Although the Tempo noted their expansion draft will be held in December 2025, the league hasn’t announced an official date or format for a multi-team expansion draft amid CBA negotiations.
‘Obviously we need to get a collective bargaining agreement done before we will probably have those expansion drafts, as well as the draft lottery,’ Englebert said. ‘We have given our general managers some guidance on how we’re thinking, but until we get the collective bargaining agreement done, it won’t be finalized as to the format or process. But you can expect, because you saw what we did last year, something similar.’
There will be more expansion drafts in the future. The league is set to expand to 18 teams by 2030 with the additions of Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029) and Philadelphia (2030), who each paid a $250 million expansion fee to join the league.
Coaching vacancies
There are five open coaching positions heading into the 2026 WNBA season. In addition to the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo expansion teams, three teams parted ways with their head coaching after the 2025 season:
- Sept. 21: The Seattle Storm didn’t renew Noelle Quinn’s contract after five seasons following the team’s second consecutive first-round playoff exit against the Las Vegas Aces. The Storm finished the regular season as the WNBA’s No. 7 seed with a 23-21 record.
- Sept. 23: The New York Liberty didn’t renew Sandy Brondello’s contract one year after winning a title following the Liberty’s first-round WNBA playoff exit against the Phoenix Mercury. They finished the regular season as the WNBA’s No. 5 seed with a 27-17 record.
- Sept. 30: Dallas Wings fired Chris Koclanes after one season following a 10-34 finish, tied for the league’s worst record.
When does free agency start?
Barring any setbacks, WNBA free agency is expected to start in the winter of 2026 and will likely be a wild ride. The league will have a staggering amount of free agents as many players avoided signing contracts past the 2025 season, aside from rookie-scale contracts, as a new CBA and possibly higher salaries are on the horizon.
Money is not the only thing on the negotiating table and a new CBA could impact free agency rules, but as of now, here are the key free agency dates for last season, per the WNBA:
- January 11-20 All qualifying offers and core player designations delivered
- January 21 2025 Player Negotiating period begins
- January 21 Open to trade drafts picks for the 2025, 2026, and 2027 drafts
- February 1 Player Contracts may be signed
When does Unrivaled start?
Although players have repeatedly stated a lockout is the last resort, Collier said the players are preparing themselves for ‘every outcome.’ During the 2025 WNBA All-Star weekend in Indianapolis, Collier reiterated a message the union has communicated to players: ‘We don’t want (a stoppage), but you have to be prepared. … Make sure you have money squared away.’
Having options doesn’t hurt. The additions of the Unrivaled 3-on-3 basketball league (founded by Collier and Breanna Stewart) and the Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball league have provided players alternate avenues to earn money outside of the WNBA while staying in the country.
The second season of Unrivaled tips off on January 5, 2026. The league expanded from six teams to eight teams, increasing roster spots from 36 to 54, in addition to a practice pool. WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers, Napheesa Collier, Alyssa Thomas, Breanna Stewart and Kelsey Mitchell are among the players confirmed for the second season, which will broadcast games on TNT, TruTV and Max.
The inaugural Unrivaled season, which ran in the offseason from January to March in Miami, saw players earn a median salary of $220,000, according to the Associated Press. In comparison, WNBA salaries for the 2025 season range from a minimum of $66,079 to a maximum of $249,244 under the current CBA.
ESPN reported Unrivaled made $30 million in revenue its inaugural season, double what league officials had projected. Unrivaled announced on Sept. 8 that it has been valued at $340 million after a second round of investment.
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