Cathy Engelbert, the WNBA’s first commissioner, announced she will retire at the end of the 2026 season after more than seven years in the role since 2019 [1, 2, 3]. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver praised her tenure, saying, "Cathy has presided over the WNBA through the most significant period of growth in the league’s 30-year history" [1]. Engelbert said she initially planned to serve about three and a half years but extended to seven and a half, citing the league’s ongoing financial transformation as a key factor [1].
Under Engelbert's leadership, the WNBA expanded from 12 teams in 2019 to 15 teams by 2026, with plans to increase to 18 teams by 2030 [2, 3, 4]. The Golden State Valkyries joined in 2025 and became the first women’s sports team valued at $1 billion, while the average WNBA team valuation reached approximately $460 million in 2026 [2]. Attendance at WNBA games rose about 70% since 2019, and television viewership surged about 454% during that time [2].
Engelbert played a key role in negotiating landmark collective bargaining agreements, including one signed in early 2026 that raised the salary cap to $7 million and introduced the league’s first million-dollar player salaries [1, 3, 4]. WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike said, "Being able to have your worth tied mostly in your salary is all that we've been fighting for, and it's what we were able to achieve" [2].
Controversy also marked Engelbert’s tenure, with criticism from some players over leadership and handling of political activism around social justice and transgender athlete policies [2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Minnesota Lynx player Napheesa Collier stated in 2025, "We have the best players in the world. We have the best fans in the world. But, right now, we have the worst leadership in the world" [2, 3, 4]. Despite disagreements, the league continued to grow significantly under Engelbert [1, 3, 4].
Engelbert told reporters her retirement at 62 was a personal decision and affirmed she has been planning succession for years [1, 7, 4]. No successor has been named yet, but both internal and external candidates are being considered [1, 2, 3, 4]. The WNBA and NBA announced the retirement on September 4, 2026 [1, 2, 3].
The league will conclude the 2026 season with Engelbert as commissioner, with leadership transition plans expected to progress before the start of the 2027 campaign.
