 | |
| Founded | April 24, 1996 |
|---|---|
| First season | 1997 |
| Country | United States |
| Number of teams | 12 (13 in 2025 and 15 in 2026) |
| Domestic cup(s) | Commissioner's Cup |
| Current champions | New York Liberty (1st title) |
| Most championships | Houston Comets Minnesota Lynx Seattle Storm (4 titles each)[1] |
| Commissioner | Cathy Engelbert |
| TV partners |
|
| Website | WNBA.com |
 2024 WNBA Finals | |
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is a women's professional basketball league based in the United States and will include 13 teams as of the 2025 season. It is considered as the premier professional women's basketball league in the world.[citation needed]
The league was founded on April 24, 1996, as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association (NBA). League play began in 1997. The regular season runs from May to September, with each team playing 44 games. The top eight teams (regardless of conference) qualify for the playoffs, culminating in the WNBA Finals, which is played in October.
The All-Star Game occurs midway through the season in July (except in Olympic years). The league hosts an annual mid-season competition, the Commissioner's Cup, which dates vary from year to year.
The WNBA is an active member of USA Basketball (USAB),[2] which is recognized by the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) as the national governing body for basketball in the United States. The league's headquarters are located in New York, NY.
- ^ "Which WNBA teams have the most championships?". espn.com. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
- ^ "Members of USA Basketball". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on August 7, 2019. Retrieved June 14, 2020.