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The WNBA’s milestone 30th season is scheduled to tip off in less than two months. On Wednesday, marathon negotiations between the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association ended with a historic agreement on a collective bargaining agreement.
The two sides verbally agreed to a deal that would raise the teams’ salary cap to $7 million, ESPN reported. Last season’s salary cap was $1.5 million. Players will be eligible for supermax deals starting at $1.4 million in 2026, up from $249,244 in 2025.
Each WNBA player will make at least $300,000 under the new CBA, sources told ESPN.
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A detail of the WNBA logo is seen on a basketball during warmups between the Seattle Storm and Connecticut Sun at Climate Pledge Arena on June 20, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Diana Taurasi, an 11-time All-Star and three-time WNBA champion, responded to the latest development. The former Phoenix Mercury guard said she believes the deal is a step in the right direction.
“The WNBA has gone through a long journey over the last 30 years,” she told The Spun. “There’s a lot of hard work, grit, persistence and determination. This is just another milestone for women’s sports. It’s nice to see the WNBA in a better place than where you left it.”
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The details of the term sheet are still being finalised. The next step is ratification by the players and the league board.
Diana Taurasi speaks during a news conference at the Phoenix Mercury Practice Facility on March 13, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. Taurasi announced her retirement after a 20-year career in the WNBA. (Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
Taurasi’s sentiments echoed WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s stance on what she described as a landmark deal.
“The progress made in these discussions marks a transformative step forward for the players and the league,” Engelbert told reporters shortly after the agreement was reached early Wednesday, “and it underscores a shared commitment to the continued growth of the game.
“It is [been] a process but we’re very proud to be a leader in women’s sport and these players are fantastic and we’re going to have a great 30th season tipping off in May.”
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks during a news conference before the WNBA All-Star basketball game on July 19, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Seattle Storm forward and WNBPA executive committee president Nneka Ogwumike, who participated in the lengthy negotiation sessions, praised the effort that led to the new CBA.
“We’re just really grateful to be able to reach an agreement,” Ogwumike said. “We’re proud of ourselves. And honestly, we’ve always told you all that we were going to be in business, and this is what it looks like.
When finalized, the new CBA will mark the sixth agreement in WNBA history, with the previous one inked in 2020. The full terms of the new deal are expected to reflect the league’s recent surge in growth, viewership and overall popularity.
