The details of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed between the WNBA and the WNBPA are still being ironed out, but it appears the season may extend well into November — and even approach the holidays.
Per reporting from ESPN, the CBA states that the latest end date for the season will be November 21. That's a huge leap from the 2025 season, which ended in September, and it's something that fans have been asking for. Extending the potential end date may also stop the flow of potential compeititor leagues, including Project B.
In 2028, the season may even go as far as November 30 — the Los Angeles Summer Olympics will take place that year, which means the league will pause play as the members of Team USA battle it out on the court.
The WNBA will also play more games
ESPN also reported by that 2027, the number of games played in a single WNBA season will increase to 50, and that number is expected to rise to 52 by 2029.
The calendar was expected to shift a bit because several new teams will be joining the league in the coming years. The Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire make their debuts this year, and there will also be teams in Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Detroit. The league will be home to 18 teams by 2030, which is a significant jump — and a sign that the league is healthy and there's plenty to be excited about.
The calendar is also shifting at the beginning of the season. Per ESPN, in 2027 players will have to show up at their home teams by April 15, or the start of training camp — whichever comes first. Previously, players had until May 1 or the start of training camp, and some have had training camp exemptions.
Project B is set to begin in November
The WNBA hasn't come out and said it, but it can be inferred that the earlier and later dates may be imposed in part to contend with the rise of compeititive leagues around the world. Project B has announced plans to begin playing in November 2026 and to run through April 2027. At most, the new dates wouldn't give players who are in both leagues a lot of downtime — and it's possible some will end up having to choose which league they ultimately want to play in.