WNBA, Players Association agree to extend CBA deadline again, to January 2026

The WNBA and the WNBA Players Association agreed to a second extension in collective bargaining negotiations, according to a WNBA statement.

"The WNBA and WNBPA have agreed to extend the current CBA through January 9, 2026, with either party having the option to terminate the extension with 48 hours' advance notice," the statement read. "The WNBA and WNBPA are continuing to work toward a new agreement."

The sides exchanged updated proposals ahead of the holiday and continued meetings over the weekend, a league source told Yahoo Sports.

The league recently proposed a deal featuring a maximum salary of around $1.1 million when combining the base supermax salary and additional revenue-sharing monies. Average salaries would be around $460,000. The supermax in the last CBA was $249,244 in 2025.

The union was reportedly “unmoved” by the offer and felt it still did not allow players' salaries to sufficiently grow with the business. Players want a revenue-sharing structure that ties their salaries to the business with a salary cap driven by revenue, versus fixed annual salaries and caps set years in advance.

The previous extension runs out on Sunday. It included an opt-out for either side to leave negotiations with 48 hours' notice. The option would have triggered a work stoppage, and players would not have been able to enter team facilities or work with coaches. Had no extension been agreed upon, the sides could have continued negotiating in a status quo period.

The league and union have historically extended the deadline. In 2019, they initially extended it 60 days before tacking on another two weeks. The sides ultimately announced an agreement on Jan. 14, 2020, one day before it expired. The CBA raised maximum salaries 82% to $217,000 in the first year and introduced the “prioritization” clause.

The parties hoped they could reach a deal by the deadline, but acknowledged throughout the summer that there was wiggle room. As days pass, the room to wiggle dwindles. The Portland and Toronto franchises need to conduct an expansion draft, the rules of which will be collectively bargained, and more than three-quarters of the league will become free agents. The collegiate draft in which the Dallas Wings hold the No. 1 pick for a consecutive year is scheduled for April.

The run-up to Sunday’s deadline was notably calmer than the initial deadline of Oct. 31. In the weeks between the WNBA Finals and Halloween, the union took aim at comments by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver regarding rev-share and salaries. The union alleged it is “prepared to do business” while the WNBA responded to it with “bad math” and a vocabulary that doesn’t include “share.” (Engelbert reports to Silver.)

The WNBA, in a rare move, pointedly hit back, calling it “frustrating and counterproductive for the union to be making misrepresentations about our proposals while also assuring the league of engaging in delay.” The league said it delivered "comprehensive proposals that seek an agreement that will benefit all,” while the PA had yet to “offer a viable economic proposal.”

Union reps and players have said over the years that it's difficult to negotiate with the league since the NBA is not fully transparent with the finances specific to the WNBA. A league spokesman disputed that issue in September.

“The WNBA has provided the union with extensive financial and other business information, including detailed league and team financial statements,” the league said in a statement. “Any asserted lack of financial transparency is simply untrue.”

The league, which turns 30 in the 2026 season, has never entered into a work stoppage. The closest it came was in 2003, after its first CBA expired the previous September. Discussions extended into April and forced the league to postpone its player draft. The NBA Board of Governors threatened to cancel the season if the WNBA and its player association did not agree to a contract by April 18. They signed the deal at 3 a.m. the day of the rescheduled collegiate draft, introducing free agency for the first time and a 17% total increase in salaries over four years. The maximum salary in 2003 was $85,000.