The WNBA has a deal for 2026 and beyond.
The WNBA and Women’s National Basketball Players Association reached a verbal agreement on the terms of a new collective bargaining agreement early Wednesday, March 18, a couple of months before the start of the 2026 season.
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Under the new deal, the salary cap will start at $7 million (up from $1.5 million in 2025) with the supermax starting at $1.4 million (was $249,244 in 2025) and the minimum salary starting at $300,000, with the average salary around $600,000.
“The progress made in these discussions marks a transformative step forward for players and the league,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert told reporters shortly before 3 a.m. ET, “and it’s underscoring a shared commitment to the continued growth of the game.
“It’s [been] a process, but we’re very proud to be leading in women’s sports, and these players are amazing, and we’re going to have an amazing 30th season tipping off in May.”
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MAY 22: Brittney Griner #42 of the Atlanta Dream looks on agaisnt the Indiana Fever during the third quarter at State Farm Arena on May 22, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)Paras Griffin/Getty Images
(Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
Griner, a former No. 1 overall WNBA Draft pick and one of the most prominent players in the league, took to her social media to weigh in on the news.
She’s a happy woman.
Griner took to social media to react to the big news
Griner is all smiles following the WNBA’s big news.
“New cba who dis 🥶,” she wrote.
WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson is excited, too.
“I think this can be summed up in two words: player empowerment … players coming to the table and standing on business and being reminded of the collective voice and of what it means to be in a union and the power of this union,” Jackson said. “They never forgot it, and they have taken it, like they always do, to the next level.”
This story was originally published by The Spun on Mar 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
