The WNBA announced Wednesday it will expand its regular-season schedule from 44 games to 50 beginning in 2027, marking the longest season in league history.CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGEA basketball with Wilson and WNBA logos goes through the net during a WNBA game between the Phoenix Mercury and the Connecticut Sun at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., on Sept.6, 2025.
(Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire)"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," WNBA Commissioner Cathy 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."The move was made possible by the league's new collective bargaining agreement, which allows for up to 50 regular-season games in 2027 and 2028 before potentially increasing again to 52 games beginning in 2029.WNBA MEDIA RIGHTS DEAL BALLOONS PAST $3 BILLION AFTER ADDING NEW BROADCAST PARTNERSThe WNBA has steadily expanded its schedule since launching in 1997.During the league's inaugural season, teams played just 28 games.
That number eventually grew to 34 games, then 40 and finally 44 beginning with the 2025 season.The only exception came during the COVID years, when the schedule was temporarily reduced.WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks before the WNBA basketball draft in New York on April 13, 2026.
(Pamela Smith/AP)The announcement comes as the league continues an aggressive expansion push.The league added the Toronto Tempo and Portland this season, bringing its total to 15 franchises.More growth is on the way, with expansion teams in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia scheduled to begin play in 2028, 2029 and 2030, respectively.The WNBA logo is displayed on the jumbotron at TD Garden in Boston before the Indiana Fever pla...