Record game schedule
WNBA Season to Expand to 50 Games in 2027, Most in League History
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Key Points
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The TSN report ties the schedule increase to the broader new CBA, saying it “vastly increased pay,” secured a “$2.2 billion media deal,” and “slated six expansion teams to join the league between 2024 and 2030.”
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Fox 13 NOW provides additional historical context for WNBA schedule growth, noting the league played 44 games in 2025 (up from 40), 40 games in 2023 (up from 36), 34 games before COVID, and 28 games when the league launched in 1997.
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The TSN report adds that the new season-end deadlines extend the calendar “nearly a month beyond” the prior limit of Oct. 31 (with the CBA setting no later than Nov. 21 in 2027 and Nov. 30 in 2028).
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Newsweek уточняет how the caps work under the new CBA: it says the maximum increased from 44 to 50 for 2027 and 2028, with 52 games allowed from 2029 through 2032 (rather than just describing an option to reach 52 games).
The WNBA will expand its regular season to 50 games starting in 2027, up from 44 games this year — the most in the league's 30-year history. The move adds three more home games for each team and extends the season's end date to no later than Nov. 21 in 2027 and Nov. 30 in 2028, nearly a month beyond the prior Oct. 31 limit, according to TSN.
The expansion is part of a new seven-year collective bargaining agreement that also includes a $2.2 billion media rights deal and paves the way for six expansion teams to join the league between 2024 and 2030. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert cited "unprecedented demand," saying attendance has nearly doubled over the past three years.
From 28 Games to 50: How the WNBA Schedule Grew
The WNBA launched in 1997 with just 28 games per team. The schedule crept up to 34 games before COVID-19 hit, then jumped to 40 games in 2023 and 44 in 2025, according to Fox 13 NOW. The 2027 expansion to 50 games is the biggest single-step increase the league has ever made.
The CBA also sets a path for further growth. Under the terms of the deal, the league can push the schedule to 52 games per season from 2029 through 2032, according to Newsweek. That means the 50-game era could itself be short-lived, serving as a stepping stone to an even longer calendar.
A $2.2 Billion Deal Drives the Push for More Games
The schedule expansion is directly tied to the league's new media money. The WNBA signed a $2.2 billion deal with Disney, Amazon, and NBC — a roughly 1,100% jump in annual media revenue from the previous cycle, according to TSN. More games mean more broadcast slots to fill, making the inventory more valuable for all three partners.
The new CBA also "vastly increased pay" for players, per TSN. Analysts project the league's minimum salary could triple by 2028. The trade-off is real: players will work more games, but they get a bigger share of a much larger commercial pie — and better travel and health benefits written into the deal.
Six New Teams Create the Demand for 50 Home Nights
The WNBA's expansion roadmap shapes the logic behind a longer schedule. Franchises like the Golden State Valkyries and Portland Fire are already active. Teams in Toronto, Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia are set to arrive by 2030. More cities mean more local fan bases — and more demand for home games in each market.
Each team gains three more home games under the new format — moving from 22 to 25. For a league projecting roughly 15 teams by 2027, that adds 45 extra regular-season games across the entire schedule. News-Gazette notes the 50-game format will give each franchise a true home schedule that rivals other major pro sports leagues for the first time.
Longer Season Raises Questions About Player Health
Six extra games add real physical strain. The league is treating this as a planned challenge rather than an afterthought. The extended calendar — pushing the season's end deep into November — gives teams more breathing room between games and cuts down on brutal back-to-back scheduling.
The longer season also effectively ends the tradition of WNBA players spending the winter in European or Chinese leagues to supplement their income. A season ending Nov. 30, combined with higher domestic salaries under the new CBA, means most players will no longer need — or have time for — an overseas stint. The league said full scheduling details, including 2027 game dates, will be released later.
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