The WNBA enters the second Friday of the 2026 preseason with a three-game exhibition slate scheduled across the Eastern and Western conferences. This mid-preseason window serves as the primary evaluation period for coaching staffs finalizing opening-night rosters under the league's newly established financial framework.
ON THE SLATE
The Friday schedule begins with two simultaneous tip-offs at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time, both of which will be carried nationally by ION. The Connecticut Sun visit the New York Liberty at the Barclays Center in a matchup of Eastern Conference contenders, while the Washington Mystics travel to Toronto to face the Tempo at Coca-Cola Coliseum. The contest in Toronto offers the expansion franchise another opportunity to integrate its new roster in front of a home crowd during its inaugural preseason run. The evening concludes in the Pacific Northwest as the Golden State Valkyries visit the Seattle Storm at Climate Pledge Arena. Scheduled for a 10:00 p.m. Pacific Time start on ION, this game features the league's newest expansion team facing a veteran Seattle rotation. These three games represent a critical phase of training camp as teams transition from practice sessions to full-speed competition.
LOOKING AHEAD
The weekend schedule expands on Saturday with four games, highlighted by a national ABC double-header. The Indiana Fever host the Dallas Wings at Gainbridge Fieldhouse at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time, followed by the Phoenix Mercury visiting the Las Vegas Aces at T-Mobile Arena at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Later in the evening, the Atlanta Dream face the Minnesota Lynx at Target Center on PeachtreeTV, and the Chicago Sky visit the Portland Fire at the Moda Center for an NBA TV broadcast. These Saturday fixtures will likely see increased minutes for established starters as teams refine their schemes for the regular season. The Fever’s home game against Dallas serves as an early preview of their unprecedented national television presence, with every game of their season now slated for national broadcast.
FROM THE WIRE
The WNBA and the players' union have finalized a deal in principle on a new collective bargaining agreement that raises the salary cap to $7 million and increases the maximum veteran salary to $1.4 million. This landmark agreement includes the first pension plan for retired players with at least three years of service and introduces mandatory consent for trading pregnant players, addressing previous player protections. The labor deal arrives as the league announces that all 44 Indiana Fever games will be broadcast nationally this season, reflecting significant media interest in the franchise. League officials indicated these changes are designed to stabilize rosters and improve talent retention as the league enters a period of financial expansion. The ratified deal also includes a significant boost to the bonus pool for the eventual WNBA champions and increases to minimum player pay.
Preseason play continues through Sunday as teams prepare for the final roster cutdown before the regular season begins.