Cathy Engelbert to Step Down as WNBA Commissioner After 2026 Season.

Cathy Engelbert will retire as commissioner of the WNBA at the conclusion of the 2026 season, ending a seven-year tenure that coincided with a major expansion of women's professional basketball. The WNBA announced Friday that Engelbert's retirement will become effective Dec. 31. She became the league's first commissioner in May 2019 after the position had previously been known as president. At 61, Engelbert leaves the league during one of the most significant periods of growth in its history. Engelbert said her decision to retire was her own and that she did not feel pressure from the NBA, WNBA owners or other league stakeholders to step down. She told The Associated Press that she originally planned to serve for about three and a half years but remained in the position for more than seven years.

"I retire knowing we have built something bigger, stronger and more enduring than we could have imagined," Engelbert said in a statement released by the league. She credited players, owners, investors, fans and league employees for contributing to the WNBA's development during her tenure. Much of Engelbert's time as commissioner has been defined by the league's financial and commercial growth. The WNBA's media rights agreements are now valued at $3.1 billion, while the league is expanding its schedule to a record 50 games. The number of franchises is also expected to grow from 12 to 18 markets by 2030 after nearly two decades without expansion. The value of WNBA teams has increased substantially during Engelbert's tenure. In 2019, the average franchise was valued at approximately $10 million. By 2026, that figure had risen to about $460 million. Engelbert also oversaw two collective bargaining agreements between the league and its players. The most recent agreement, reached in March following difficult negotiations, introduced salaries of up to $1 million and established the league's first comprehensive revenue-sharing model.

Another significant moment during Engelbert's tenure came in 2020, when the WNBA continued its season despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The entire season was played in a controlled environment in Bradenton, Florida. Engelbert later described the decision to hold the season as an "existential" moment for the league. Her leadership, however, also faced criticism as the WNBA grew more prominent. Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier sharply criticized Engelbert following the 2025 season, accusing her of being "negligent" in her leadership and describing the WNBA's leadership in highly negative terms. Collier's comments received widespread support from players. Although Engelbert said afterward that she would work to address players' concerns, questions about her relationship with players, team executives and owners continued. According to reports, some people within the league were frustrated with what they viewed as a reactive response to issues involving officiating, online harassment of players and other controversies. The relationship between Engelbert and the players' union was particularly strained during negotiations for the latest collective bargaining agreement. Engelbert nevertheless maintained that she had a positive relationship with players and said the difficult conversations ultimately helped strengthen the league. Breanna Stewart, a New York Liberty forward and vice president of the WNBA players' union executive committee, praised Engelbert's overall contribution to the league while acknowledging that the CBA negotiations had been challenging. Stewart said the final agreement represented an important achievement for both sides. Nneka Ogwumike, president of the WNBA Players Association and a forward for the Los Angeles Sparks, also recognized Engelbert's role in guiding the league through a period of extraordinary change. Ogwumike said Engelbert leaves behind a stronger foundation for the WNBA and its players.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver similarly praised Engelbert's tenure, saying she had guided the WNBA through the most significant period of growth in the league's 30-year history.

The search for Engelbert's successor has already been underway for several years. Engelbert said the league has developed a succession plan and is considering both internal and external candidates, although she did not identify anyone being considered for the position.

The next commissioner will be the sixth person to lead the WNBA. Unless the league changes its current organizational structure, the commissioner will continue to report to Silver.

Engelbert's departure comes as the WNBA prepares for another period of expansion and development. With a new labor agreement, larger media contracts, rising franchise values and additional teams on the horizon, the next commissioner will inherit a league that looks substantially different from the one Engelbert took over in 2019.