WNBA Jumps to 50 Games in 2027 — and Players Just Secured a Massive Payday

The WNBA isn’t just growing. It’s sprinting.

Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced Wednesday that, beginning in the 2027 season, each team will play 50 regular-season games — up from the current 44-game schedule. The move arrives on the heels of a landmark collective bargaining agreement that players ratified earlier this year, one that dramatically boosted salaries and changed the league’s economic structure.

“Demand for the WNBA has never been greater, and expanding to a 50-game regular season reflects the extraordinary momentum we are seeing across the league,” Engelbert said in a statement. “This move reflects our commitment to growing the game and creating more opportunities for fans to watch the best players in the world and experience the extraordinary talent and competition that define the WNBA.”

What the New CBA Makes Possible

The 50-game schedule isn’t a one-off flex. According to the terms of the freshly signed CBA, the league can expand to a maximum of 50 games in both 2027 and 2028. Then, starting in 2029 through 2032, that ceiling jumps to 52 games per season.

The Athletic’s Annie Costabile first reported the league’s formal announcement. The increase marks the first schedule expansion since the WNBA moved to a 44-game format in 2023.

Why This Matters Now

The WNBA has been riding a wave of surging attendance, skyrocketing TV ratings, and broader cultural visibility — driven in large part by rookie sensations Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, along with a stacked 2024 draft class. More games means more revenue opportunities, more broadcast inventory, and more chances for the league to monetize its current moment of peak popularity.

It also means more wear and tear on players, which is precisely why the new CBA includes enhanced compensation and benefits. The league and the players’ union have structured the deal so that schedule growth is tied directly to economic improvements for the athletes — a critical compromise that made the expansion palatable on both sides.

Fans online have reacted with a mix of excitement and cautious optimism. Some noted that a 50-game season still lags behind the NBA’s 82-game grind, while others pointed out that the WNBA is wisely pacing its growth rather than overshooting its infrastructure. The league has not confirmed whether any changes to roster sizes or travel accommodations will accompany the expanded schedule.

More details on the rollout — including potential playoff format adjustments — are expected in the coming months.