As the WNBA continues to grow, so too will the number of games played.
The 2027 season will feature more action than ever, as the number of games will be increased from 44 to 50 for all 15 teams, ESPN’s Alexa Philippou reported Thursday.
Philippou added that the 2027 season is expected to start on May 7 and the latest possible end date, including playoffs, is Oct. 24.
Along with the increase in games, there won’t be a mid-season break for any international play. The WNBA went on break this past season for the 2026 FIBA World Cup, and will go on break again in 2028 for the Los Angeles Summer Olympics.
The increase in games was a clause included in the league’s collective bargaining agreement, signed ahead of the 2026 season. According to the CBA, 50 games were the maximum allotted number for the 2027 and 2028 seasons, with a maximum of 52 starting in 2029.
The WNBA has expanded significantly in recent years, with the Golden State Valkyries joining ahead of the 2025 season, and the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire joining last year.
Joining the ranks in the coming years will be the Cleveland Sirens (2028) and currently unnamed franchises in Detroit (2029) and Philadelphia (2030). While no new franchises will join in 2027, the Connecticut Sun are set to relocate to Houston.