On a perfect day, the Toronto Tempo would be sorting out its roster priorities for the upcoming season now. Unfortunately, things are far from normal with the WNBA at the moment. Coming in as the expansion team this year, Tempo still doesn’t have a roster, thanks to the CBA fiasco. With most of the big names entering free agency, the offseason was supposed to be an exciting prospect for the fans to watch.
As of now, the tussle between the players and the authorities is still on. The league pushed back the CBA deadline on three separate occasions. And even though the WNBA has announced the 2026 schedule, insiders like Rachel DeMita have projected a possible delay. Now, with still no signs of the stalemate being resolved, one very important question is doing the rounds. Will there be a WNBA season in 2026 at all?
Why Is The WNBA 2026 Season In Jeopardy?
It all started after the league gained sudden momentum in the last few years. Following a decade of being in the shadows, the hard work of the players finally paid off. As the likes of Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, and others made headlines, the WNBA saw its business boom.
And it was then that the players requested the authorities for pay equity. With a proposed 30% revenue sharing, the WNBA did not want to grant the same. Immediately, things started to go haywire. Following the All-Star week, Napheesa Collier drew first blood. Accusing the league commissioner of a lack of accountability, the Minnesota Lynx star publicly criticized Cathy Engelbert.
“The real threat to our league isn’t money. It isn’t ratings or even missed calls or even physical play. It’s the lack of accountability from the league office. Since I’ve been in the league, you’ve heard the constant concerns about officiating, and it has now reached levels of inconsistency that plague our sport and undermine the integrity in which it operates,” Collier said.
Napheesa Collier’s full comments on Tuesday, via @adukeMN.pic.twitter.com/p2Av3tMm1T
— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) September 30, 2025
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Soon, more and more players joined in to support Collier. At present, with multiple contracts declined, there is no certainty when the season will start.
Is There A New CBA Proposal From The WNBA?
Over the last few months, the WNBA has made some proposals in terms of the contract. But on both occasions, the offers were rejected. Two of the main concerns that the players highlighted were the meager revenue sharing. And most importantly, the rescinding of the housing policy in the new contracts angered the athletes significantly. Immediately, names like Natasha Cloud expressed her dissatisfaction with the offer.
“This makes no sense for our younger players, for the players that get cut and are stuck in leases. Instead of teams that bring in replacement players, nor for players in bigger markets. Let alone talking about player safety in safe areas. @wnbacommish we want a girls girl,” Cloud said, hitting back at the authorities.
In a latest development, the WNBPA met in person with the WNBA representatives. The league surprised the athletes by not offering them a fresh contract. Finally, stepping back from their demand, the athletes recently agreed to a reduced revenue-sharing of 27.5% overall with a $9.5 million salary cap in 2026.
Meanwhile, as the situation looks to have hit a dead end, there are other leagues waiting to pay the athletes way more.
Will Project B And Unrivaled Be A Threat To The WNBA?
In the absence of a proper WNBA contract, the likes of Unrivaled and Project B are coming up quick and fast. For example, the Unrivaled have offered $50,000 prize money to Paige Bueckers when she won the free-throw challenge. Next up, the recently concluded 1v1 event had an accumulated prize purse of $200,000. The 3-on-3 league also boasts a minimum salary of $100,000 with an average salary of $220,000.
Next up, the Saudi-backed league, Project B, too, has announced massive salaries with equity shares in the league. Already, the likes of Nneka Ogwumike have joined the league set to debut in November 2026. Reflecting on the same, Sophie Cunningham recently expressed her interest in joining the league.
“You just get cultured, it’s fun. And I’ve missed it, but I also don’t want to play around. My body can’t handle it. I have other things I want to do that I’m interested in, and so this just gives me the perfect opportunity to go play, get cultured, see the world, but also be able to come home and still experience what I want to experience,” said Cunningham.
Thus, with many dynamics still to sort out, no one can definitively say whether the 2026 WNBA season will start on time.