The WNBA and its players' union have reached an agreement in principle on a new collective bargaining agreement, set to dramatically increase player salaries. The deal, announced early Wednesday, will see top players earn more than $1 million per year for the first time in league history, marking a fourfold increase from last season.
According to reports, the average annual player salary will rise to $600,000, up from $125,000 in 2025. The minimum salary will increase to $300,000, compared to $66,079 previously, while the supermax salary will start at $1.4 million. Each team's salary cap will be $7 million, up from $1.5 million last season.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert described the progress as a transformative step forward for players and the league. Union president Nneka Ogwumike highlighted that player salaries are now tied to a meaningful share of league revenue, driving exponential growth in the salary cap and raising standards across facilities and support.
The agreement reflects the league's skyrocketing growth in attendance, viewership, and investment over recent years. Negotiations were intense, spanning more than 100 hours over eight days, with the final breakthrough coming after a 10-hour session on Tuesday.
Union vice-president Breanna Stewart called the deal transformational, while executive committee member Alysha Clark noted that players opted out of the previous agreement because their contributions were not being matched by returns. Revenue sharing was a key hurdle, along with housing and franchise tag issues.
The league now faces a busy period ahead of opening day on 8 May, including an expansion draft for new teams in Toronto and Portland, and negotiations with over 80% of players who are free agents this offseason.
