The WNBA announced on Thursday that the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game will be played in Chicago.
It marks the second time the city has hosted the exhibition, and the first time the event will be held at the United Center, which has more than double the max capacity (20,917) of the Wintrust Arena (10,387), which is where the game was played the last time Chicago hosted the ASG back in 2022, and where the 2026 3-point contest and skills challenge will be played.
“We can’t wait to build on the success of the previous All-Star game and celebrate the explosive growth of the league by showcasing the WNBA’s biggest stars on a world-class stage,” Chicago Sky CEO and president Adam Fox said in a statement, via Front Office Sports.
The announcement is a big deal for the hometown Chicago Sky and superstar forward Angel Reese, who’s been selected to the All-Star Game in both of her pro seasons.
Read More: 49ers Get Major Injury Update on All-Pro WR Brandon Aiyuk
Read More: Packers WR Drawing Trade Interest From ‘at Least’ 5 Teams: Report
If Reese isn’t traded this offseason—multiple reports have indicated the team is willing to listen to trade offers for the LSU alum—she could receive the same kind of star treatment that Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark received at this year’s All-Star game, which was played in front of her hometown crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, though she didn’t play due to a groin injury that ended her season prematurely.
Reese is no stranger to putting on a show in All-Star games.
During her rookie season, Reese recorded 12 points and 11 rebounds along with a steal and a block in just 18 minutes of action in a 117-109 victory over the All-Star players on the U.S. women’s national team in 2024.
She became the first rookie ever to record a double-double in WNBA All-Star Game history.
Then this season, Reese totaled six points, nine rebounds, two assists, and a steal in 17 minutes for Team Collier, captained by Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, in a 151-131 over Team Clark, captained by Clark.