WNBA Could Soon Go On Strike As Players Almost Unanimously Revolt Against League

With neither side willing to budge, we could potentially see a strike in the WNBA.

WNBA players have overwhelmingly — almost unanimously — voted to grant their union the authority to call a strike if negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement fail to reach a successful conclusion before the Jan. 9, 2026 deadline.

The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) revealed Thursday that 98% of the players who took part in the vote supported empowering the union’s executive committee to “call a strike when necessary” amid a voter turnout of 93% league-wide.

“The players have spoken,” said the WNBPA in an official statement, per OutKick. “Through a decisive vote with historic participation, our membership has authorized the WNBPA’s Executive Committee to call a strike when necessary. The players’ decision is an unavoidable response to the state of negotiations with the WNBA and its teams.”

However, this vote does not indicate that players will be going on strike immediately or anytime soon. (RELATED: Steelers’ DK Metcalf Throws Punch At Lions Fan In Wild Scene That Will Surely Produce Suspension)

“The players’ vote is neither a call for an immediate strike nor an intention to pursue one,” continued the statement. “Rather, it is an emphatic affirmation of the players’ confidence in their leadership and their unwavering solidarity against ongoing efforts to divide, conquer and undervalue them.”

Breanna Stewart, the New York Liberty standout and a vice president on the WNBPA executive committee, indicated that negotiations seem to be approaching an impasse.

“What we’re doing right now isn’t really working,” said Stewart, per OutKick. “If they’re not going to budge, we’re going to get to this point where we’re just going to be at a standoff.

“If we’re not going to be valued the way that we know we should be, in the way that every kind of number situation tells us, then we’re just not going to do something that doesn’t make sense for us.”

The WNBPA announced Thursday that its members have voted overwhelmingly to authorize calling a strike “when necessary” during the ongoing negotiations between the players association and the WNBA on a new collective bargaining agreement.

Read more: https://t.co/ct45v4R7CJ pic.twitter.com/6CEG6y5LQ0

— ESPN (@espn) December 18, 2025

Unsurprisingly, the league holds a markedly different perspective on the matter.

“While we acknowledge the players’ right to authorize a future work stoppage, we strongly disagree with the WNBPA’s characterization of the current state of negotiations, which fundamentally misrepresents the ongoing discussions taking place at the bargaining table,” said the WNBA in their own statement.

“It is difficult to understand claims that the league is resistant to change,” added the league, which cited salary increases that were proposed and “a new uncapped revenue-sharing model that would ensure continued salary growth tied to revenue growth.”

WNBA Statement On WNBPA’s Strike Authorization Vote pic.twitter.com/YC24wljdo1

— WNBA Communications (@WNBAComms) December 18, 2025

The dispute extends beyond simply higher salaries. The WNBPA has persistently advocated for a substantially greater portion of the league’s overall revenue, and reports indicate that this issue is the primary point where talks have stalled.

According to the terms of the current CBA extension, no strikes or lockouts can occur until one party formally terminates the agreement, a step that either side can take with a notice of 48 hours. As the Jan. 9 deadline approaches, the vote announced Thursday intensifies the stakes in the talks. Without a new agreement in place, there is a genuine risk that the 2026 season could face delays or even cancellation.

Interesting times ahead for the WNBA, that’s for sure.