WNBA basketball is almost back, and soon it’ll be on a TV near you. That’s right, on Wednesday, the league unveiled its 2026 schedule for what promises to be a milestone 30th season. The WNBA said the early release was intentional, giving teams, sponsors, broadcast partners, and fans more time to prepare. For context, the 2025 schedule was released in December 2024.
Here’s everything you need to know.
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From when is the WNBA season starting? Know the date, key matchups and more
According to the official 2026 schedule, the WNBA season will run from Friday, May 8 to Thursday, September 24. Season length has been at the center of CBA discussions, with the league looking to grow, add expansion teams, and offer more content to broadcast partners. But for now, the current CBA still caps the regular season at 44 games, and that’s how many each team will play in 2026.
Check the entire schedule down below!
There is already drama built into the opening weekend. On Saturday, May 9, the number one picks from the 2024 and 2025 drafts, who became must-watch rivals during their NCAA Tournament battles, will meet again as pros. Yes, we have an opening day matchup between Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers on the cards.
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Injuries limited Dallas’ Bueckers and Indiana’s Clark to just one matchup in 2025, but now they are the main event, a matchup that could temporarily push the Fever vs Sky rivalry out of the spotlight. But that’s not all!
The opening weekend also features a rematch of the 2025 WNBA Finals as the Las Vegas Aces welcome the Phoenix Mercury on May 9. The game is set for a matinee slot, and while you would expect a banner or ring ceremony, that remains uncertain because the matchup is at T-Mobile Arena rather than the Aces’ regular home, Michelob ULTRA Arena.
Teams to look out for: A look at the underdogs
It is difficult to judge teams right now because they have not been able to make any moves. The league is currently in a status quo period because it failed to reach a new CBA agreement with the players union, missing two negotiation deadlines and falling short of the WNBPA’s demands. As a result, both sides agreed to a moratorium on league business, which pauses the early stages of free agency, including qualifying offers and core designations.
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But if we had to predict who the underdogs might be, it would likely be the newer teams this season. The 2026 campaign marks the debut of the Toronto Tempo and the return of the Portland Fire, and both could find themselves in a tough spot early on.
We saw last season how tough this league can be on new owners. There are no lottery picks, no extra help from the league, and free agency is not as easy as it looks. Just ask the Valkyries. Last season, they swung for the fences in free agency, chasing Kelsey Plum, Courtney Vandersloot, and Brionna Jones, only to watch each of them opt for the security of proven, WNBA playoff-tested franchises.
The Athletic reported that Paige Bueckers was their true dream target, but Dallas had zero interest in dealing the No. 1 pick. With that option gone, General Manager Ohemaa Nyanin had to improvise and ended up leaning heavily on the international talent we saw them bring in last season.
Now, one advantage the Valkyries had was that the WNBA held the expansion draft before the new year. The two new teams in 2026 will not have that luxury. There is a lot for both franchises to sort out in terms of roster building, but Golden State has already shown that if you build a team that fits your coach’s style, you can still make the playoffs. You just need the right combination.
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If they manage to do that, they could easily become the underdogs of the season, because both teams will have enough quality and talent to challenge the rest of the league.
Another team that could be an underdog this season is the Chicago Sky. Yes, they should be in the title-contender conversation. That was the intention last season when they traded for Ariel Atkins and brought in talent like Courtney Vandersloot. But the end result was a 10-34 record, the second-worst spot in the league, and Angel Reese publicly criticizing the team.
The Bayou Barbie has made it clear she wants to play with the best, but the Sky have developed a reputation for being one of the worst-run franchises in the league, and that could be a major hurdle when free agency opens. . They might not get the big names Reese has in mind, but this is the perfect chance for GM Jeff Pagliocca to prove himself and get creative instead of just chasing stars.
Of course, all of this is just an assumption for now. No one really knows how free agency will play out this season, especially with more than 80% of the league headed to the market. Much of this is speculation, but it does feel like a monumental year for Chicago. If they fail to deliver, there is a real chance they could lose Reese down the line.
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What makes the WNBA 2026 season special? Everything to know
“From welcoming two new organizations in Toronto and Portland, to honoring our history with marquee matchups that connect the league’s first game to today’s stars, the 2026 season will celebrate the WNBA’s past, present, and future. With a record number of games, growing global reach, and unprecedented momentum, this milestone season will help define the next chapter of the WNBA,” league commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement about the upcoming season.
This season promises to be historic, not just because it could break viewership and attendance records again with the arrival of two new teams, but because of everything the players have gone through to get here.
There’s actually no guarantee the season will happen until the CBA negotiations are finished. Both sides are still far apart, and that is concerning. The main sticking point is the salary structure. Players want a system that pays them 30 percent of gross revenue, while the league wants to subtract expenses first and then share what’s left, according to The Athletic.
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If the WNBPA and the league actually accomplish this, it will be a monumental moment. It would show that women athletes can fight for their worth and win, and it would push them closer to sitting at the same financial table as the men by getting a fair cut of the money they help bring in.
The post WNBA 2026 Schedule Released: Key Matchups, Dates and What Stands Out appeared first on EssentiallySports.
