After the WNBA CBA confirmation, the attention now shifts to roster building, with none of the franchises having a roster to enter the games. So far, the league has postponed the expansion draft and the free agency signings. Now that CBA terms are in place, the franchise has the parameters to work under and commercials to offer to new and existing players.
For the 2026 season, there will be two new teams entering the league: Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo. The order for the pick is confirmed as Portland Fire lands first pick in the WNBA expansion draft over Toronto Tempo, following the decision by the Canadian franchise after winning the coin toss.
The exciting selection process will take place on April 3 at 3:30 PM. Here are the available options for live streaming the WNBA expansion draft.
Watch 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft Live
The WNBA will welcome new players during the WNBA draft, but new franchises entering the league will have an expansion draft to select players from existing franchises. This not only balances the ‘star power’ in the league but also allows expansion teams to field experienced stars.
Newcomers, Portland Fire, and Toronto Tempo will select players one by one, and fans can watch the live telecast and live streaming of the WNBA expansion draft on ESPN and the ESPN app. The WNBA official App will also stream the expansion draft.
The WNBA will hold an expansion draft for its new franchises in Portland and Toronto on April 3, the league announced Wednesday.
— espnW (@espnW) March 25, 2026
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While the 2026 expansion draft will have two teams selecting players from the league, every team can protect five of its star players from the expansion draft. The franchises submit the list of protected and unprotected players in the expansion draft before the actual draft, allowing the teams to make an offer on the unprotected players.
While there are two teams in the 2026 WNBA draft, the format will be different from the 2025 version.
2026 WNBA Expansion Draft Format
The 2026 expansion draft will have two rounds, with each team having up to six picks per round. Portland and Toronto will have alternate picks, with the order reversing in the second round. Portland will have the first pick in the first round. Toronto will pick first in the second round.
Out of the ‘unprotected player list’, the Fire and Tempo can select one player who is a potential unrestricted free agent, which is a player completing her recent contract. Also, the teams can then offer players a supermax contract worth as much as $1.4 million, per the new CBA. The parent teams can match the offer if they choose to.