WNBA Enters 30th Season with Salary Cap at $7M

The WNBA enters its 30th season on May 8 with a transformed financial landscape, as a new collective bargaining agreement dramatically increases player salaries and sparks an intense free agency period across its 15 teams. The league, now including expansion franchises Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, is marking the milestone through a series of commemorative initiatives designed to honor its history while embracing rapid growth.

Under the new CBA, the salary cap has risen 466 percent to $7 million per team, up from $1.5 million, enabling million-dollar contracts for top players and lifting the minimum salary above $300,000, with the average approaching $600,000. This shift follows months of negotiations and applies immediately to the 2026 campaign, providing stability for mid-tier players and rewarding veterans. Free agency began on April 6 with a two-day designation period, during which teams issued qualifying offers to retain rights. Negotiations run through Friday, with official signings starting Saturday, just before the April 13 draft.

Several teams moved quickly to secure key talent. The Indiana Fever prioritized continuity around rookie sensation Caitlin Clark by...