The WNBA will hold its 2026 Expansion Draft for its newest franchises, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo, on Friday, April 3, ahead of the 2026 NCAA Women's Final Four, the league announced on Wednesday. This follows the WNBA's ratification of a new collective bargaining agreement that increases player compensation and resources while expanding the season. Coverage will air on ESPN at 3:30 p.m. ET, with streaming available on Fubo.
Before the draft, the Fire and Tempo will participate in a coin toss on Friday, March 27, to determine draft order and selections for the upcoming 2026 WNBA Draft. The winning team can choose either the first pick in the two-round Expansion Draft or the No. 6 pick in the college draft on April 13. The other team will receive the alternative option: the No. 7 pick in the college draft and corresponding placement in the Expansion Draft. Picks in both drafts will follow a snake format, alternating between rounds. For instance, the team with the No. 6 college pick will also select No. 7 in round two and No. 6 in round three.
The Expansion Draft will consist of two rounds, with each team able to select from a pool of unprotected players provided by the existing 13 teams. Each existing team must submit their roster by Sunday, March 29, listing all players under contract or holding rights as of the end of the 2025 regular season. Teams may designate up to five “protected players,” leaving the remainder eligible for selection (“Unprotected players)”. Each expansion team may select only one “potential unrestricted free agent,” players with five or more years of service who have completed their prior contract obligations. This allows the selecting team to negotiate a supermax contract under the new CBA, which could reach $1.4 million annually.
The Fire, coached by Alex Sarama, and the Tempo, led by Sandy Brondello, will alternate picks and may acquire a player's contract or negotiating rights. Trades with existing teams are permitted in the 24 hours before the draft, including agreements to select and immediately trade a player or to pass on selecting certain players.
This will be the first multi-team expansion draft since 2000, and the second consecutive year the WNBA has added new teams. The previous expansion team, the Golden State Valkyries, made the playoffs in their first season, setting a precedent for Portland and Toronto as they build their inaugural rosters.
