The 2026 WNBA All-Star Game is heading back to the Windy City.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, the league announced Chicago will host the 2026 WNBA All-Star game on July 25, following the 2025 edition in Indianapolis<\/a>, which raked in an average of 2.2 million viewers<\/a>. This marks the second time the WNBA All-Star Game will take place in Chicago, which previously hosted the league’s midseason event in 2022.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n “The Chicago Sky are thrilled to welcome the 2026 WNBA All-Star game back to Chicago,” Chicago Sky chief executive officer and president Adam Fox said in a statement.\u00a0“We can\u2019t wait to build on the success of the previous All-Star Game and celebrate the explosive growth of the league by showcasing the WNBA\u2019s biggest stars on a world-class stage.”<\/p>\n The 2026 WNBA season and subsequent All-Star Game is contingent on the league and the WNBPA finalizing a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA). <\/a>If both sides don’t reach a deal before the CBA expires on Oct. 31, or an extension isn’t agreed upon, the league will temporarily shut down until a new agreement is signed. That could jeopardize key league events, like the draft lottery, expansion draft and even the season, depending on how long the impasse lasts.<\/p>\n Many of the league’s stars, including Caitlin Clark<\/a> and Napheesa Collier<\/a>, used the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game<\/a> in Indianapolis to send a message to the league with black pregame warmup shirts that read, “Pay Us What You Owe Us.”<\/a><\/p>\n During her annual press conference ahead of the WNBA Finals earlier this month, league commissioner Cathy Engelbert<\/a> said she “wants much of the same things that the players want” and assured “we can get a deal done.” Despite ongoing CBA negotiations, the league moved forward with announcing the next host city for the 2026 All-Star Game on Thursday.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n \u201cThe WNBA is thrilled to bring AT&T WNBA All-Star back to Chicago, which will undoubtedly deliver unforgettable competition and community outreach,\u201d Engelbert said.<\/p>\n The All-Star weekend festivities in Chicago includes the 3-point contest and Kia WNBA skills challenge on Friday, June 24 at Wintrust Arena, home of the Chicago Sky. The 2026 All-Star game will be held at the United Center, home of the NBA’s Chicago Bulls<\/a> on Saturday, June 25.<\/p>\n The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news \u2014 fast.\u00a0Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more<\/a>.<\/p>\n