WNBA Lockout Explained: Everything you need to know about the basketball league’s potential 2026 work stoppage originally appeared on Sports news. Add The Sporting News as Favorite source by clicking here.
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Why could there be a WNBA lockout?
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Could the WNBA season be canceled?
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WNBA work stoppage before story
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Lockouts and strike differences
The WNBA is approaching the most important moment in its young history.
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After experiencing exponential growth over the past few seasons, the WNBA and the WNBA Players Association are at an impasse in negotiations regarding a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
This impasse threatens the immediate future of the league, creating a level of uncertainty around the 2026 season. There is of course a chance that everything will be fixed over time, but there are several issues that need to be resolved.
Here’s what you need to know about the possibility of a lockout, the deadlocks in negotiations and what it all means moving forward.
MORE: Why Lynx Superstar Napheesa Collier Slammed the WNBA for the ‘Worst Leadership in the World’
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Why could there be a WNBA lockout?
There would be a WNBA lockout if the league and its players association fail to reach an agreement on a new CBA.
The most recent agreement expired on October 31, 2025, but failure to reach an agreement by that date did not automatically trigger a lockout. Both sides agreed to extend the deadline until January 9, 2026, but the league is working under strict guidelines due to the two expansion teams set to debut in 2026.
Tuesday, October 28, Ben Pickman of The Athletic reported that it is “extremely unlikely” that the two sides will reach an agreement before Friday’s deadline, raising further concerns about the immediate and distant future.
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ESPN initially reported that the two sides agreed to a 30-day extension on October 30, setting the new deadline for November 30.
The WNBA confirmed the deal on October 31, sharing the following statement:
Although we thought negotiations would be further along, the players are more focused, united and determined than ever to reach an agreement that reflects their value and undeniable impact on the league.
The WNBA and WNBPA then agreed to another extension before the Nov. 30 deadline, this time in anticipation of further in-depth discussions to come. “We expect substantial progress from the league during this window,” the WNBA Players Association said in a statement.
According to ESPN News Servicesthe WNBA’s November bargaining proposal called for “revenue sharing with a maximum salary of more than $1.1 million available to more than one player per team, increasing each year.” The new league minimum would be over $220,000 with an average of over $460,000, which would start with 180 players and increase each season.
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MORE: How the WNBPA labor dispute took center stage during the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game
What the WNBPA wants
Some of the WNBA players’ biggest issues come from revenue sharing and relate to structural changes they would like to see in the league.
Here is what the association’s official press release said in October 2024:
The WNBPA is advocating for a new equity-based financial structure, moving away from restrictive compensation caps, with demands for improved retirement benefits, child care and family planning options.
“Players always insist that we get a percentage of revenue that increases with activity, which perhaps includes team revenue, and that’s just part of the conversation,” Ogwumike told ESPN.
Sports economist David Berri estimates that by 2025, WNBA players received less than 7% of basketball-related revenue (BRI). The BIS represents the majority of the league’s revenue, but the current collective bargaining agreement does not guarantee that players will receive a fixed share.
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Under the existing agreement, players only receive additional revenue sharing when the league hits certain revenue targets. Although the league says those thresholds were not met, players requested supporting data, which the WNBA did not provide.
“That’s where the trust started to break down,” a League source said. told ESPN. “You want to call them greedy and unreasonable, but you won’t give them the data.”
In comparison, the NBA CBA provides for players to receive approximately 50% of the BIS, which is a distribution sought by the WNBPA in negotiations. More than just salary increases, the WNBPA wants to change how the salary cap works, as highlighted ESPN.
In addition to compensation, players looking for a pension — including for former players — and more support for players with children.
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The WNBPA saw a proposal from the WNBA and said he didn’t see it’s “like something that moves negotiations forward.” The group added that while the salary increase seems impressive, the problem is that they don’t see where salaries can continue to “grow with the business”, which was a sticking point for them. The WNBPA has long desired a revenue sharing system like the NBA’s, “in which the salary cap is determined by basketball-related revenue.”
While the new salary cap structure was something the league saw as a huge selling point of its proposal, the WNBPA said it was “putting lipstick on a pig and retreading a system that is not tied to any part of the business and intentionally undervalues players.” With nine days to go before the new deadline of November 30, it does not appear that the two sides are close on this major negotiating issue.
What WNBA Owners Want
“Prioritization” is a buzzword likely to come up repeatedly in negotiations as owners want players to put the WNBA above offseason leagues — whether foreign or domestic competitions like Unrivaled or Athletes Unlimited.
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According to ESPN, the owners believe “prioritization brings more respect to the league.”
Here’s how prioritization works, as described by Front Office Sports’ Annie Costabile:
The rule required players with more than two years of WNBA experience to report to their WNBA teams by May 1 or face fines. If a player failed to report at the start of the season, he would face a full season suspension. In 2024, the rule became stricter when it required players to report before the start of training camp or face a full season suspension.
While they haven’t banned players from offseason leagues outright, the owners want an affirmation of their loyalty to the WNBA.
This time around, owners have more incentive to make a deal, thanks to the growing revenue generated by the league and its teams. Unlike in the past, not supporting the league now could result in significant financial losses.
On December 1st, ESPN’s Alexa Philippou reported that the WNBA had proposed to the WNBPA a maximum salary for 2026 with a guaranteed base of $1 million and a projected revenue share that would bring total maximum player revenues to more than $1.2 million.
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MORE: Commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks to Napheesa Collier and more at the WNBA Finals press conference
Is there a chance the WNBA season will be canceled?
As slim as it is, there is a chance that the WNBA season could be canceled.
The first step toward a season would be a new collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players’ association. Deadlines could be pushed back, but if negotiations drag on, the risk of there not being a season increases.
The WNBA season typically begins in late May, but the expansion draft, free agency and WNBA draft are important steps before the next season begins. The current Oct. 31 deadline gives the league some sort of runway, but overtime makes the schedule more difficult.
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Has there ever been a work stoppage in the WNBA?
No, there has never been a lockout or work stoppage in the WNBA before.
What is the difference between a lockout and a strike?
Here is a definition of both terms in sport, explained through the lens of MLB collective bargaining in 2021.
A lockout is an owner saying, “You can’t work for us until you agree to a new deal.” A strike is employees (players, in this case) saying “we won’t work for you until you agree to a new deal.”
