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The WNBA and its players union did not reach an agreement on a new CBA ahead of Friday’s deadline, as New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart told reporters Thursday.

“We are not coming to an agreement, I can tell you that,” she said to reporters. Stewart said that while a new extension won’t be agreed upon, they will continue to negotiate in good faith.

The WNBPA later released a statement Friday night accusing the league of remaining “committed to undervaluing player contributions, dismissing player concerns, and running out the clock.” The union also claimed to have displayed an inflatable rate outside the NBA Store as a protest, but images of the rat don’t appear to be available.

The WNBA released a shorter statement calling negotiations ongoing:

“The current Collective Bargaining Agreement has expired, and negotiations with the Women’s National Basketball Players Association remain ongoing. As the league experiences a pivotal time of unprecedented popularity and growth, we recognize the importance of building upon that momentum. Our priority is a deal that significantly increases player salaries, enhances the overall player experience, and supports the long-term growth of the league for current and future generations of players and fans.”

Among the effects of the CBA expiring is the beginning of a “status quo” period, which has caused the league to tell its general managers and executives they can send out qualifying offers to free agents beginning Sunday, per Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports.

The league and union can still agree on a moratorium to pause those offers, which would be ignored with the CBA still up in the air. ESPN reported late Friday night the two sides were negotiating such a moratorium.

Where do things stand in the WNBA CBA fight?

According to ESPN’s Alexa Philippou, both sides expect to reach a deal and play a 2026 season, but the clock continues to tick.

The 2026 season is not expected to tip off until May, so the reality of canceled games is a long way off. Yet, it will continue to condense a busy offseason that includes a two-team expansion draft and a free agency period that will feature three-quarters of the league’s players.

The league and players union have been negotiating a new CBA for more than a year after players opted out of the previous one on Oct. 21, 2024. The sides agreed to two extensions, the most recent of which expires Jan. 9, 2026.

Members voted overwhelmingly during the week of Dec. 18 to give the executive committee authority to strike. The union said 93% of eligible players participated in the vote and 98% of them voted to authorize a strike. The seven-player executive committee consists of president Nneka Ogwumike, vice president Kelsey Plum, vice president Napheesa Collier, vice president Alysha Clark, secretary Elizabeth Williams, treasurer Brianna Turner and Stewart.

The vote was a statement made by players that they are unhappy with the way collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations have progressed, an issue the union and individual players have raised throughout the process.

Per ESPN, Stewart said a strike is “not something that we’re going to do right this second, but we have that in our back pocket.”

The union’s claims that the league isn’t taking negotiations seriouslyhave been met by the league, in a rare move, pointedly hitting back that such claims are counterproductive and misrepresentations. The main issue is the entire salary structure, with housing stipends recently coming into play.

Players want a revenue-sharing structure that ties their salaries to the business with a salary cap driven by revenue, versus fixed annual salaries and caps set years in advance. The most recent league proposal includes an uncapped revenue-sharing model with a maximum salary around $1.3 million and increasing to $2 million over the life of the deal, with average salaries moving from $530,000 in the first year to $770,000 by the end. The 2025 supermax was $249,244, and the player minimum was around $66K.

The league is already past its usual timeframe for releasing the 2026 schedule and completing its expansion draft. In 2025, teams sent qualifying offers and core player designations during the week of Jan. 11-20 and the free agency negotiating period opened on Jan. 21. Players could begin signing contracts on Feb. 1.

Barring a moratorium, the league will follow a similar calendar while waiting for the new CBA.

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