WNBA Eyes March 10 Target Date to Finalize Labor Deal Before 2026 Season

The Women's National Basketball Association has identified March 10 as a key target to complete collective bargaining agreement talks with players. Without a deal by that date, the 2026 season schedule could face disruptions as the league prepares for expansion and free agency.

The Women’s National Basketball Association has established March 10 as a crucial target date to complete collective bargaining agreement discussions with its players’ union to prevent any disruption to the upcoming 2026 season, according to reports from ESPN and the New York Post released Monday.

League officials communicated this timeline during a virtual meeting Monday that drew participation from more than 50 players, the reports indicated.

While this date doesn’t serve as a firm deadline for reaching an agreement, it does establish a goal for both parties to conclude their discussions and ensure the 2026 league schedule remains intact.

Both the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association require a completed CBA to move forward with an action-packed offseason. Free agency must commence, and officials need to organize an expansion draft for two new franchises: the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire.

Currently, the college draft is scheduled for April 13, with training camps set to begin six days afterward. The season’s opening games are planned for May 8.

On Monday morning, the union informed ESPN that the league achieved a revenue milestone in 2025 that activated revenue sharing with players for the first time. This achievement will result in $8 million being distributed among players across the 13 teams that competed last season.

Revenue sharing arrangements and player housing provisions remain central issues in the ongoing CBA discussions between league management and the union. Recent reports indicated the union has softened its position on certain revenue-sharing elements in its most recent counterproposal.

A significant disagreement exists between the negotiating parties: the union seeks a percentage of gross revenue, while league officials are proposing a share of net revenue instead.