Cathy Engelbert will retire as WNBA commissioner at the end of the 2026 season following seven years leading the league. The move was confirmed in a league announcement, with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver praising Engelbert's tenure.

"Cathy has presided over the WNBA through the most significant period of growth in the league's 30-year history," said Silver. "We are grateful for Cathy's leadership and unwavering commitment to the advancement of women's basketball."

Multiple high-ranking team sources had recently told ESPN they believed 2026 would likely be Engelbert's final season. While Engelbert ushered the league into what she has called "hypergrowth" mode, her leadership had faced increasing scrutiny over the past year.

Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier said in an end-of-season interview last year that Engelbert was "negligent" in her governance and that the WNBA had the "worst leadership in the world," remarks that drew widespread support from players around the league. Engelbert vowed at the time to address concerns, but sources have since told ESPN she continued to struggle building relationships with players, owners and upper-level management.

League sources have expressed growing frustration with what many view as a reactive approach to emerging issues, including ongoing officiating problems and harassment directed at players. Some have cited Engelbert's communication style as a barrier, while others pointed to broader accessibility concerns between the league office and its teams.

In her own statement, Engelbert reflected on her tenure leading a league she said had "enormous potential yet untapped awareness and significant undervaluation" when she took over.

"I retire knowing we have built something bigger, stronger and more enduring than we could have imagined," said Engelbert. "I am grateful to the WNBA and NBA team owners and staff, players, investors, fans and the powerhouse league office staff, who believed in what this league could become."

Engelbert became the WNBA's first commissioner in May 2019, with previous league leaders holding the title of president. Under her leadership, the league's media rights deals grew to $3.1 billion, with the regular season expanding to a record 50 games and league membership set to reach 18 franchises by 2030, up from 12.

She also helped negotiate two collective bargaining agreements, the first in January 2020 and the second this past March. The most recent agreement introduced the league's first $1 million salaries and its first comprehensive revenue-sharing model.

"After more than seven years at the WNBA and more than 40 total years in business, I have made the decision to retire as WNBA Commissioner," said Engelbert. "It has been amazing to watch WNBA players thrive and lead the massive cultural surge around women's sports."

Engelbert is also credited with helping the league complete its 2020 season amid the COVID-19 pandemic, staging games in a bubble environment in Bradenton, Florida, a moment she has since described as "existential" for the league's future.