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WNBA CBA update: Negotiations yield salary cap movement, no deal yet
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- WNBA CBA update: Negotiations yield salary cap movement, no deal yet
The WNBA and the WNBPA met again in New York on Wednesday, continuing a second consecutive day of marathon CBA negotiations as a March 10 deadline passed , a person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they're not authorized to speak publicly about ongoing negotiations.
The person confirmed a meeting between the two sides started roughly around 2 p.m. ET on Wednesday and went for nearly 12 hours at the Langham Hotel in New York. In attendance were members of the WNBPA executive committee, including president Nneka Ogwumike . From the league's side, commissioner Cathy Engelbert and Liberty owner Clara Wu Tsai were there again.
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A person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY the WNBA and its players' union exchanged multiple proposals over the course of Tuesday and Wednesday. They confirmed the WNBA's latest offer increases the Year 1 salary cap to $6.2 million, up from $1.5 million in 2025 ― representing an increase of more than four times the 2025 cap. As with previous proposals, the cap would continue to grow over the life of the deal. The latest proposed cap number offered by the WNBA is also up from a March 1 proposal , where the salary cap was $5.75 million.
The WNBA's latest proposal also now includes a maximum base salary exceeding $1.3 million, with a projected revenue-sharing component. The league's maximum salary would grow to nearly $2 million over the life of the agreement. The average salary would be $570,000 in Year 1 (up from $530,000 in previous proposals), growing to $850,000 over the life of the deal.
According to a source familiar with the situation, the latest length of the deal is roughly six years, although that is being negotiated. There was no update on revenue sharing as talks are scheduled to continue Thursday in New York.
"We're proud of the deal we have on the table," Engelbert reportedly said to on-site media Thursday. "I think it's huge gains for the players, while balancing that with the health of the league. So we'll just continue to work really hard, and we've got to get a deal done."
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"Being able to be in the room, being able to exchange proposals, we're feeling movement," Ogwumike reportedly said to the media. "We're sticking to the process. That's something that we've always been true to from the very beginning, so making sure that we stick to that process and the strength in our unity and obviously remaining resolute in what we're representing ourselves for in these negotiations is kind of where we're at now."
Ogwumike also reportedly addressed the now-passed March 10 deadline provided by the league to avoid a delayed start to the 2026 season.
"We haven't ever really considered that as a timeline that has been something to prioritize on our side because we have always been negotiating in good faith," she said. "I think the league has their own priorities as such, and we've read a lot of things about timelines, and there's been timelines that have been thrown out, but for us, we're trying to get a good deal done, and we want to play this season."
CBA meetings enter third straight day of marathon hours
A source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to USA TODAY Sports that Thursday's meetings between the WNBA and the WNBPA started around 11 a.m. ET. As of midnight ET, the two sides were still meeting, making it the third consecutive day that negotiations entered stretches of 12 hours or longer.
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When is the WNBA CBA deadline?
The WNBA said a term sheet for a new CBA needed to be completed by March 10 to avoid delaying the start of the 2026 season. Opening day is scheduled for May 8.
As of March 11, 2026, there was still no term sheet for a new CBA.
WNBA recent collective bargaining negotiations
A source familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports the players' union sent a proposal on Friday, March 6, and the league quickly countered on Saturday, March 7.
As of Tuesday, March 10, no CBA deal had been passed . Still, the WNBA and the WNBPA met in New York the same day to continue CBA negotiations, a person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports.
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The person confirmed a meeting between the two sides roughly started around 5 p.m. ET at the Langham Hotel in New York. In attendance were members of the WNBPA executive committee, including president Nneka Ogwumike and vice president Breanna Stewart . From the league's side, front office leadership, including league operations director Bethany Donaphin, commissioner Cathy Engelbert and Liberty owner Clara Wu Tsai were there.
According to an ESPN report, players left shortly before 3 a.m. ET on Wednesday, March 11, and declined to comment on the ongoing talks. Negotiations between the WNBA and the players' union staff ended around 5 a.m. ET the same morning.
Engelbert reportedly made brief comments to the media on-site, but did not answer any questions. She said that talks were "complex" and "complicated," but maintained the league's ongoing stance throughout the negotiations: The WNBA wants to get a deal done that is "transformational" for the players. Engelbert also says that getting the deal done is "really important to the future not just of the league, but of women's sports."
WNBPA executive director Terri Jackson, who was also in New York, reportedly told the media that the March 10 hours-long meeting had "a lot of conversation going in the right direction."
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"Every meeting is a positive meeting," Jackson said. "The fact that we scheduled meetings, that we offer dates to schedule meetings, that we actually get together, get in the room. I think that's positive. It's taking as long as it's taking. But you know, that's what it needs to be."
On Wednesday, March 11, both sides were back at the bargaining table for another marathon session. A source confirmed to USA TODAY Sports that Wednesday's meeting between the league and the union started around 2 p.m. ET and wrapped sometime between 1 and 2 a.m. ET.
What are the key issues between WNBA players and owners?
Revenue sharing and the salary cap remain the top sticking points. Here is where the two sides stand:
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Revenue sharing:The WNBPA requested 25% of gross revenue in the first year, increasing over the life of the agreement to an average of roughly 26%. The WNBA is currently offering more than 70% of league and team net revenue.
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Salary cap:The union also proposed a salary cap of less than $9.5 million. As of March 12, the WNBA's latest offer increases the Year 1 salary cap to $6.2 million, up from $1.5 million in 2025 ― representing an increase of more than four times the 2025 cap.
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The WNBA's latest proposal also now includes a maximum base salary exceeding $1.3 million, with a projected revenue-sharing component. The league's maximum salary would grow to nearly $2 million over the life of the agreement. The average salary would be $570,000 in Year 1 (up from $530,000 in previous proposals), growing to $850,000 over the life of the deal.
Will WNBA players go on strike?
Players voted in December 2025 to authorize the Women's National Basketball Players Association's Executive Committee to "call a strike when necessary." The WNBPA said the strike authorization vote resulted in 98% yes votes with 93% participation among players.
In a private letter obtained by ESPN on Tuesday, March 3, Stewart and Plum warned a potential work stoppage would harm the league's financial outlook. After the letter went public, the executive committee said a decision to strike "was not taken lightly."
"Despite our differences and tough moments, we must make crystal clear that we are focused, we are resolute, and we are together," the WNBPA executive committee said on Wednesday, March 4. "We want to play basketball in 2026. We want to be in front of our fans playing the game that we love. We will not stop fighting. There is no WNBA without the players."
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Plum echoed that sentiment on March 3. Ahead of the Unrivaled semifinal game on Monday, Plum said: "I want to play, and players want to play ... And so obviously we're going to continue to negotiate and do everything we possibly can to get this done in a timely fashion. But obviously, a strike would be the worst thing for both sides, because we are in a revenue (sharing system), so no revenue, no revenue to share."
Has WNBA ever had a lockout?
The WNBA has never experienced a lockout in its 30-year history, although the 2003 WNBA draft and preseason were postponed before a new CBA was reached.
When is the 2026 WNBA Draft? Who has No. 1 pick?
The 2026 WNBA Draft is scheduled to take place on Monday, April 13, a little more than a week after a national champion will be crowned at the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The Dallas Wings were awarded the No. 1 overall pick in the draft lottery for the second consecutive year. The Wings will have first dibs on big names like UConn's Azzi Fudd , Spain's Awa Fam, UCLA 's Lauren Betts , TCU 's Olivia Miles and LSU's Flau'jae Johnson .
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"We want someone who wants to win," said Wings forward Maddy Siegrist , who represented the team at the lottery in November. The Minnesota Lynx will pick second in the draft, followed by the Seattle Storm .
When is the 2026 expansion draft?
The Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire are set to join the league in 2026 as the 14th and 15th WNBA franchises, but the teams will have to wait a little longer to begin assembling their rosters. That's because the rules and format of the upcoming expansion draft will be negotiated in the new CBA, meaning the draft cannot be held until a deal is in place.
"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," WNBA commissioner Cathy Englebert said back in October. "But you can expect, because you saw what we did last year, something similar."
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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. The draft rules were released on Sept. 30, 2024 and WNBA teams were required to provide the league with a roster list of all their players by Nov 25, 2024, including six protected players that wouldn't be available for selection. Golden State then got to pick one player from each team, nearly two months before team-building continued through free agency in late January.
The timeline will be much tighter for the Tempo and Fire with the WNBA's projected May 8 start date. The league has to squeeze in an expansion draft for two teams, free agency featuring over 100 players, and the 2026 WNBA Draft before opening night.
When does WNBA free agency start?
It's not clear when WNBA free agency will start, but it 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 higher salaries are on the horizon. Money is not the only thing on the negotiating table — the new CBA could impact free agency rules, such as core designation rules.
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2026 WNBA season key dates
The WNBA's landmark 30th season is scheduled to tip off on Friday, May 8.
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May 8: Opening Night
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June 1-June 17: Commissioner's Cup
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July 24-27: All-Star Weekend ( Chicago )
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September 1- September 16: FIBA Break
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September 24: Last day of regular season
Contributing: Nancy Armour, Meghan Hall, Cydney Henderson, Mark Giannotto
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WNBA CBA update: Negotiations yield salary cap movement, no deal yet
