The Women's National Basketball Association's 2026 fixture list is already feeling the effects of Caitlin Clark's injury-plagued 2025 season, with a significant shift in the league's strategy for moving high-demand games to larger venues.
Strategic Arena Moves Adjusted After Clark's Setbacks
The league intends to relocate 19 games to bigger arenas in 2026, following a similar strategy executed 15 times last season to capitalise on soaring interest for marquee matchups. However, the calculus has changed markedly due to Clark's physical struggles. The Indiana Fever superstar was limited to just 13 appearances in 2025 after battling persistent groin injuries, which subsequently dampened ticket demand for her team's fixtures.
Fever's Reduced Arena Upgrades for 2026
Consequently, the WNBA plans to move only four Indiana Fever games to larger venues next season. The specific relocations include:
- Indiana's July 5 clash with the Las Vegas Aces, which will be held at Sin City's T-Mobile Arena.
- The August 8 encounter with the Chicago Sky, scheduled to tip-off at the United Center.
- A matchup against the Toronto Tempo on August 20, hosted at Scotiabank Arena.
- The August 22 game versus the Dallas Wings, set for the American Airlines Center.
Despite Clark's time on the sidelines, the Fever astonishingly remained the WNBA's biggest road attraction in 2025, drawing an average of 15,884 fans per away game. Many of the games moved to larger arenas still managed to sell out, though those sales were largely secured before Clark's injury woes began.
Broader Scheduling Context and League Ambitions
Notably, the Chicago Sky have arranged to host their first two games of the season at the United Center, the home venue of the NBA's Chicago Bulls. Clark, for her part, has recently returned to training, joining Team USA in Durham, North Carolina last month.
When questioned about the venue decisions, an Indiana Fever spokesperson provided a measured response to Front Office Sports, stating the club 'cannot speak to what other teams may do in terms of venue changes.'
Caitlin Clark's Meteoric Impact and Current Status
Clark is poised to enter her third professional season with the Indiana Fever, bringing with her a legion of devoted fans cultivated during her record-breaking collegiate career at the University of Iowa, where she became the all-time leading scorer in women's college basketball. After earning All-WNBA First Team honours as a rookie, her 2025 campaign was derailed by various injuries. Nevertheless, her confident presence and exceptional playmaking have been pivotal in driving the WNBA's remarkable surge in both viewership and live attendance over the past two years.
Labour Uncertainty Clouds the 2026 Season
The entire 2026 WNBA season currently hangs in the balance due to ongoing labour negotiations. The league is scheduled to begin its campaign on May 8, but this is contingent upon the league and the players' union reaching an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement.
Clark, who has rapidly emerged as one of the defining faces of the WNBA, is acutely aware of the high stakes involved in these CBA talks. 'I think the most important thing for myself, thinking about these CBA negotiations -- this is the biggest moment the WNBA has ever seen, and it's not something that can be messed up,' Clark told reporters before her debut with the senior US women's national team. 'We're going to fight for everything that we deserve, but at the same time, we need to play basketball. That's what our fans crave ... because you want the product on the floor, and at the end of the day, that's how you make the money, that's how you're marketable. That's what the fans get excited about. That's what the fans want to show up for.'
Schedule Structure and League Commentary
The 2026 season will see teams play 44 games over a five-month period, featuring a 17-day break in early September for the FIBA World Cup. The league confirmed last year that the schedule would remain at 44 games despite the addition of two new franchises in Portland and Toronto, citing the World Cup commitment.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert heralded the upcoming season, stating, 'As we prepare to tip off the WNBA's historic 30th season, this schedule reflects both how far the league has come and the momentum that continues to drive us forward. From welcoming two new organizations in Toronto and Portland, to honoring our history with marquee matchups that connect the league's first game to today's stars, the 2026 season will celebrate the WNBA's past, present, and future. With a record number of games, growing global reach, and unprecedented momentum, this milestone season will help define the next chapter of the WNBA.'
By releasing the schedule now, teams can commence selling ticket packages, arrange travel for away games—including charter flights—and secure arena dates. A WNBA spokesperson emphasised, 'Releasing the 2026 schedule is a key step as we prepare for the WNBA's 30th season and allows teams, partners, broadcasters, and fans to begin the essential planning for the year ahead.'
In a scheduling improvement, all but two teams will have at least one set of back-to-back games. Overall, the average number of games on consecutive nights has decreased from 2.4 per team in 2025 to 1.6 for the upcoming season. The WNBA harbours ambitions to expand the number of games teams play in future years, but such a change would be contingent upon a new collective bargaining agreement.
