WNBA, WNBPA Extend CBA Through Jan. 9 Ahead of Deadline, Negotiations Will Continue

Shortly before the Nov. 30 deadline, the WNBA and WNBPA agreed to extend their CBA negotiation deadline.

"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 league said in a statement to ESPN. "The WNBA and WNBPA are continuing to work toward a new agreement."

The WNBPA gave a statement to ESPN's Alexa Philippou announcing the extension proposal on Sunday, adding that it hopes to see "substantive movement" within the six weeks.

"We have proposed a six-week extension," the statement read. "We expect substantive movement from the league within this window."

The initial deadline for a new CBA was Oct. 31, but that deadline was extended until the end of November.

"The WNBPA Executive Committee agreed to the league's proposed 30-day extension of the current CBA, with the condition that the players may terminate the extension at any time with 48 hours' notice," the WNBPA said in a statement on social media. "While we believed negotiations would be further along, the players are more focused, united, and determined than ever to reach an agreement that reflects their value and undeniable impact on the league."

The WNBPA told ESPN in October that a major roadblock in negotiations is whether the model for salaries will be fixed or tied to growth indicators, adding that the WNBA was trying to "run out the clock, put lipstick on a pig and retread a system that isn't tied to any part of the business and intentionally undervalues the players."

The WNBA called those claims "incorrect and surprising."

"It is incorrect and surprising that the Players Association is claiming that the WNBA has not offered an uncapped revenue sharing model that is directly tied to the league's performance," the WNBA said in a statement to ESPN. "The comprehensive proposals we have made to the players include a revenue sharing component that would result in the players' compensation increasing as league revenue increases—without any cap on the upside.

"It is frustrating and counterproductive for the union to be making misrepresentations about our proposals while also accusing the league of engaging in delay. That is simply not true."

The CBA negotiations come during a time of record growth for the WNBA. In 2025, the league set a new regular-season attendance record, and this year's playoffs were the most-watched in WNBA history.

The league will add two franchises, Toronto and Portland, in 2026, followed by Cleveland in 2028, Detroit in 2029 and Philadelphia in 2030.