By Barry Janoff
January 21, 2026: The WNBA has embraced the power of positive thinking, releasing its 2026 scheduled, which will celebrate the league’s 30th season and welcome new franchises in Toronto (Tempo) and Portland (Fire).
The season is scheduled to begin May 8 and the Playoffs presented by Google Pixel Sept. 27, with the Commissioner’s Cup presented by Coinbase June 1-17 and the All-Star Game July 25 in Chicago’s United Center.
There will be two-week break when many WNBA players are expected to represent their respective nations in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026, Sept. 4-13 in Germany..
All of these plans go could askew if the WNBA and the WNBPA players’ union can not come to an agreement on a new CBA, currently being negotiated.
“As we prepare to tip off the WNBA’s historic 30th season, this schedule reflects both how far the league has come and the momentum that continues to drive us forward,” commissioner Cathy Engelbert said via the league.
“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.”
Training camp is planned to begin April 19, about a week after the college draft. An expansion draft for Portland and Toronto also still has to be held.
The WNBA said it would unveil its complete TV and streaming schedule at a later date. That schedule is expected to include more than 200 of 330 games being available through the league’s national broadcast and streaming partners.
Defending champion Las Vegas Aces and MVP A’ja Wilson (pictured) begin their season at home against the Phoenix Mercury in a 2025 WNBA Finals rematch, in T-Mobile Arena, site of the Aces 2025 championship celebration, scheduled for May 9.
Among the season’s other highlights, the Los Angeles Sparks will host New York Liberty June 21 on the anniversary of the original matchup in 1997 between the teams that was the first game in league history.
Toronto will play one game each in Montreal and Vancouver.
The Connecticut Sun will have two games in Hartford and one game in Boston.
There will be 44 games per team, with each team playing 22 home games and 22 road games.
All 15 teams will play during opening weekend as part of WNBA Tip-Off 2026 presented by CarMax.
The WNBA Commissioner’s Cup presented by Coinbase will feature a 49-game schedule.
Each team will play one game against every other team in its conference – a total of six games for each of the seven Eastern Conference teams and seven games for each of the eight Western Conference teams.
All Cup games except the Championship will count toward regular-season win-loss records.
The 2026 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game, the 22nd All-Star Game in league history, will also include the 3-Point Contest and Kia WNBA Skills Challenge July 24 in Wintrust Arena, home of the Chicago Sky.
WNBA Live, the league’s interactive fan festival, will take place at McCormick Place.
“With a record number of games, growing global reach, and unprecedented momentum, this milestone season will help define the next chapter of the WNBA,” said Englebert.
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