Current season, competition or edition: 2026 WNBA season | |
 | |
| Sport | Basketball |
|---|---|
| Founded | April 22, 1996 |
| Founder | David Stern |
| Inaugural season | 1997 |
| Commissioner | Cathy Engelbert |
| No. of teams | 15, 18 (by 2030) |
| Country | United States, Canada |
| Headquarters | New York City |
| Continent | North America |
| Most recent champion(s) | Las Vegas Aces |
| Most titles | Houston Comets Minnesota Lynx Seattle Storm (4 titles each) |
| TV partner(s) | |
| Official website | WNBA.com |
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is an American professional women's basketball league for women. It was officially announced on April 22, 1996. The league first held games in June 1997. The WNBA has 15 teams, all in the United States except for one in Canada, in its current 2026 season. Three more U.S. teams have been announced, with one joining the league in each season from 2028 to 2030.
The games have four 10-minute quarters. There is also a 24-second shot clock. Each team is allowed to have 12 players, and can also have up to two developmental players on the roster. Each developmental player can only play in 12 regular-season games unless her team converts her contract to a standard league contract. Before a new bargaining agreement between the league and its players' union took effect in 2026, many teams only carried 11 players on their rosters due to a strict salary cap. The ball used for WNBA games is 1 inch (2.54 cm) smaller in circumference and 2.5 ounces (70 g) lighter than the ball used for all adult men's full-court basketball (including the National Basketball Association, the top professional basketball league for men in the United States). The WNBA ball is the same size used for all adult women's full-court play. The ball also has alternating white and orange panels, unlike the all-orange NBA ball.
