Overview
- Each team is slated for 44 games with a pause for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup from Aug. 31–Sept. 16, and the playoffs are scheduled to start Sept. 27.
- The 30th season features expansion debuts for the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, plus a June 21 Liberty–Sparks matchup marking the anniversary of the league’s first game.
- Opening weekend includes Toronto hosting Washington on May 8, Portland hosting Chicago on May 9, a Finals rematch of Phoenix at Las Vegas on May 9, and Caitlin Clark’s Fever hosting Paige Bueckers’ Wings the same day.
- League operations remain under a status-quo framework without a new CBA, with a moratorium on free agency and expansion drafts for Toronto and Portland still to be conducted.
- The WNBA says publishing dates now enables teams, arenas, and broadcasters to plan, though the season’s timing depends on a new labor deal as key economic issues remain unresolved, including a reported union ask for a 30% revenue share and a higher salary cap.