The WNBA is expected to kick off its 2026 season as scheduled. With two new teams joining in, the expectations are pretty high at the moment. Unfortunately, with the CBA talks still unresolved, no one can ignore the possibility of the season going haywire.
The players have not yet received a new CBA deal. Speaking on the same, Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham recently expressed uncertainty for the coming season. However, when the WNBA and the WNBPA met face-to-face on Monday, they raised significant hope. Unfortunately, it all fell crashing to the ground.
WNBA Did Not Have A Suitable Proposal For The WNBPA Meeting
WNBPA recently decided to hold a face-to-face meeting with the WNBA to resolve CBA issues. Surprisingly, despite putting a lot at stake, the meeting produced nothing fruitful. According to reports from ‘Front Office Sports,’ the two parties held the meeting for over 3 hours. But as far as the WNBA was concerned, they did not bring a fresh offer to the table.
Reflecting on the topic, the likes of Nneka Ogwumike and Alysha Clark had some strong reactions.
“They volunteered that they did not have a proposal prepared at the top of the meeting. That kind of set the tone for the conversation because we were hoping to hear otherwise,” said Ogwumike.
The WNBA & WNBPA met for roughly 3 hrs at the league offices in New York City on Monday. The WNBA showed up without a proposal.
— Annie Costabile (@AnnieCostabile) February 2, 2026
“That kind of set the tone for the conversation because we were hoping to hear otherwise," Nneka Ogwumike told me.https://t.co/jHIbsOKtNN
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As for Clark, she debunked the rumors that the union’s executive committee had fractured. “I don’t think there’s been fracturing. As the EC, the point of our job is to have these tough conversations behind closed doors with one another. To be able to hash through it all, because it’s a lot. It’s complicated. There are so many things that are on the table in this proposal and us having discussions doesn’t equate to fracturing,” said Clark.
Surely, such an outcome was not something that the WNBA fans were hoping to hear. Meanwhile, shedding further light on the matter, Ogwumike detailed what the players really wanted.
Nneka Ogwumike Details About Players’ Demands From The WNBA
Since the end of the 2024 season, CBA discussions have been picking up pace. And now, it has been almost 15 months since the players have been demanding better pay and greater revenue sharing. Sadly, Ogwumike clarified what the players actually wanted, even though the league has not yet delivered it.
“Ideally, this would have gotten done a little bit earlier, but we want a good deal, rather than one that’s done in a fashion that suits a schedule. And so we’re looking forward to being able to come out of this proud of what we’ve negotiated, proud of the process, while also looking forward to having a season,” Ogwumike stated.
Nneka Ogwumike goes behind-the-scenes on CBA negotations https://t.co/KAjrjGfJve
— SB Nation (@SBNation) January 31, 2026
Thus, with getting murkier, fans will be concerned about how things will pan out next.