Marathon negotiations on the WNBA collective bargaining agreement extend into the seventh day.
Officials from the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Association are expected to meet again Monday afternoon. as labor negotiations reach the end of the line and threaten to delay the start of the 2026 season.
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WNBPA Executive Director Terri Carmichael Jackson and outside counsel Deb Willig told reporters Monday afternoon that while progress has been made, significant problems remain.
Willig said she would “hopefully” have a term sheet agreed to in the next 15 to 20 hours, according to ESPN.
Last week, league commissioner Cathy Engelbert suggested a deadline of Monday to complete negotiations – otherwise the preseason schedule would be affected.
Progress has been made incrementally over nearly 90 hours of face-to-face meetings since last Tuesday. But few specific details were shared on the progress of the negotiations and the remaining differences to be resolved.
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WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike told reporters on Saturday that the main obstacles remained related to income sharing and housing. Over the preceding days, Ogwumike said the league and players’ union had addressed some of the more fringe issues.
“There’s still work to be done, but ultimately we want to get this deal done,” Ogwumike said. via ESPN.
Nneka Ogwumike of the Seattle Storm dribbles down the court during a game against the New York Liberty at Barclays Center on July 6, 2025. Michelle Farsi for the NY Post
Players want league-funded housing, a higher salary cap than the league’s last offer of $6.2 million, improved health benefits and aid for retired players. They are also fighting to remove the primary designation and ensure a fair share of league and team revenue.
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The WNBPA entered these bargaining sessions asking for a 26 percent share of the league’s gross revenues, while the league offered approximately 15 percent.
It’s unclear where these numbers stand ahead of Monday’s trading session.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert smiles during an appearance on February 13, 2026. WireImage
The WNBA still has to run a two-team expansion draft, a big-time free agency and a college draft. Training camps are scheduled to open on April 19. Preseason games are expected to begin shortly thereafter, with the Liberty scheduled to open their preseason on April 25 against the Fever.
The 30th season of the WNBA is scheduled to begin on May 8.
Engelbert expressed optimism that the two sides would be able to find common ground and end more than 17 months of negotiations.
“We will continue,” she told reporters. “We are going to close this deal…and it will be historic.”
