WNBA free agency 2026: Tracking every move as it happens

The WNBA season is right around the corner, and free agency is finally here. The free agency negotiation period starts on Wednesday, April 8th, and teams can begin signing free agents to new contracts on Saturday, April 11.

Before this, qualifying offers and core player designations were sent out on April 6th and 7th.

Reserved players are players who are out of contract with three years of service or fewer. If they receive a Reserved qualifying offer, those players are subject to that team’s exclusive negotiating rights. If the club declines to offer the player a contract, they become unrestricted free agents. 

Restricted free agents are players with at least four years of service whose contract has expired, and who receive a qualifying offer from their previous team. Those players can negotiate with other teams, but their original team can match any offer.

A Core Designation is the WNBA’s version of a franchise tag. An organization can have one veteran free agent whom they have cored on their roster — and thus offered a fully guaranteed one-year deal worth the supermax. If a player receives a Core Designation, they can only sign or negotiate a contract with that team during the free agency period.

April 8: Negotiations begin

This page will be updated as information is shared.

April 7: Angel Reese traded, teams extend qualifying offers

The Chicago Sky trade Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream in exchange for the Dream’s first-round picks in 2027 and 2028. As part of the trade, Atlanta also receives the right to swap second-round picks with Chicago in 2028.

The Toronto Tempo extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Maria Kliundikova.

The Toronto Tempo extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Julie Allemand.

The Toronto Tempo extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Nikolina Milić.

The Atlanta Dream extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Sika Koné.

The Atlanta Dream extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Lorela Cubaj.

The Portland Fire extended a Core qualifying offer to Bridget Carleton

The Connecticut Sun extended a Restricted qualifying offer to Olivia Nelson-Ododa.

The Connecticut Sun extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Mamignan Touré.

The Las Vegas Aces extended a Restricted qualifying offer to NaLyssa Smith.

The Las Vegas Aces extended a Restricted qualifying offer to Kierstan Bell.

The New York Liberty extended a Core qualifying offer to Sabrina Ionescu.

The Seattle Storm extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Mackenzie Holmes.

The Golden State Valkyries extended a Restricted qualifying offer to Veronica Burton.

The Portland Fire extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Emily Engstler.

The Golden State Valkyries extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Kaitlyn Chen.

The Portland Fire extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Chloe Bibby.

The Dallas Wings extended a Core qualifying offer to Arike Ogunbowale.

The Golden State Valkyries extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Iliana Rupert.

The Seattle Storm extended a Core qualifying offer to Ezi Magbegor.

The Washington Mystics extended a Restricted qualifying offer to Shakira Austin

The Washington Mystics extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Madison Scott.

The Atlanta Dream extended a Core qualifying offer to Allisha Gray.

The Washington Mystics extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Bernadett Határ.

April 6: Qualifying offers

The Portland Fire extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Haley Jones.

The Portland Fire extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Maya Caldwell.

The Golden State Valkyries extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Janelle Salaün.

The Golden State Valkyries extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Cecilia Zandalasini.

The Phoenix Mercury extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Natasha Mack.

The Phoenix Mercury extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Monique Akoa Makani.

The Toronto Tempo extended a Core qualifying offer to Marina Mabrey.

The Phoenix Mercury extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Kathryn Westbeld.

The Phoenix Mercury extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Kiana Williams.

The Toronto Tempo extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Kitija Laksa.

The Portland Fire extended a Restricted qualifying offer to Sug Sutton.

The Toronto Tempo extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Lexi Held.

The Atlanta Dream extended a Restricted qualifying offer to Rhyne Howard.

The Atlanta Dream extended a Restricted qualifying offer to Naz Hillmon.

The Dallas Wings extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Grace Berger.

The Dallas Wings extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Li Yueru.

The Portland Fire extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Luisa Geiselsöder.

The Los Angeles Sparks extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Alissa Pili.

The Los Angeles Sparks extended a Core qualifying offer to Kelsey Plum.

The Los Angeles Sparks extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Julie Vanloo.

The Los Angeles Sparks extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Rae Burrell.

The Minnesota Lynx extended a Reserved qualifying offer to Jaylyn Sherrod.

The Minnesota Lynx extended a Core qualifying offer to Napheesa Collier.