The WNBA has grown hugely in the last few years, but how many teams compete for the championship? Here’s our breakdown of every franchise in the league.
As the WNBA continues to grow in popularity, and with plans for expansion, you may be asking how many teams there are in the WNBA. The number of teams has changed over the years, with additional franchises being introduced (while others have disbanded). Reading on, explore the full WNBA team list, including a rundown of all the franchises that compete.
How many teams compete in the WNBA?
Currently, the number of WNBA teams is 13: 6 teams play in the Eastern Conference, while 7 play in the Western Conference. The league was originally founded in 1997 with 8 teams competing (four in each conference) – however, many of the inaugural franchises have disbanded over the years.
The league is scheduled to increase in size to 18 teams by 2030, though, with these cities all set to launch WNBA teams in the next few years:
Portland, OR
Toronto, ON
Cleveland, OH
Detroit, MI
Philadelphia, PA
Current list of WNBA teams
Here’s a rundown of the teams that compete in the WNBA, in order of when they were founded:
New York Liberty (Eastern)
The New York Liberty have been part of the WNBA since its inaugural season, playing their home games in the iconic Barclays Center – the same venue as the Brooklyn Nets. Though the Liberty are three-time conference champions (1999, 2000 and 2002), in 2024, they finally won their first WNBA Championship.
The Liberty is home to players like Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones, while historically successful players have included Tina Charles and all-time leading scorer Vickie Johnson.
Los Angeles Sparks (Western)
The Los Angeles Sparks were also one of the founding WNBA teams, forming in 1997 alongside seven other teams. The Sparks play in the Crypto.com Arena, and are three-time WNBA Champions (2001, 2002, and 2016). They also won three consecutive conference titles between 2001 and 2003.
Some of the most widely recognised Sparks players in history include top scorer Lisa Leslie, three-time champion Candace Parker, and first overall 2012 draft pick Nneka Ogwumike.
Phoenix Mercury (Western)
The three-time champions (2007, 2009, and 2014) Phoenix Mercury were another of the original WNBA teams, becoming champions of the Western conference in the inaugural 1998 season. They also won the conference finals in 2007, 2009, and 2014, and have finished as the #1 seed in four seasons.
Standout players in the franchise’s history include DeWanna Bonner, who played with the Mercury for 10 seasons between 2009 and 2019 before returning in 2025, and Diana Taurasi, the player with the most points scored in league history and one of the best WNBA players of all time. Current key players like Alyssa Thomas also add to the team’s depth.
Las Vegas Aces (Western)
Though officially the last of the four surviving teams from the debut WNBA season, the Las Vegas Aces have been through multiple name and location changes. Starting as the Utah Starzz, they would later play in Texas as the San Antonio Silver Stars (and later San Antonio Stars), before settling on their current branding in 2018.
The Aces won back-to-back WNBA titles in 2022 and 2023, as well as a conference title in 2008. Players like Chelsea Gray and all-time franchise leading scorer A’ja Wilson played important roles in the Aces’ recent success, while Kelsey Plum played a role in their early success after making her name as one of the best players in women’s college basketball .
Washington Mystics (Eastern)
The Washington Mystics played their first WNBA season in 1998, with the CareFirst Arena currently serving as their home ground. The Mystics earned their first and only WNBA title in 2019, and have never earned a conference title. However, they finished the 2010 and 2019 seasons as the #1 seed in the East.
Perhaps the standout Mystics players on the active roster is centre Stefanie Dolson, who won the WNBA title with the Chicago Sky in 2021.
Dallas Wings (Western)
In 1998, the Detroit Shock joined the WNBA. They later relocated to Oklahoma in 2010, being renamed the Tulsa Shock, before eventually settling in Texas as the Dallas Wings in 2016. As the Detroit Shock, they won three WNBA titles (2003, 2006, and 2008) and four conference titles (2003, 2006, 2007, and 2008). Since being renamed the Dallas Wings, though, they haven’t progressed past the second round of playoffs.
Key Detroit Shock players included Deanna Nolan, who is one of the league’s most prolific scorers in history, and star centre Liz Cambage. Arike Ogunbowale is widely considered the Dallas Wings’ most important active player, and is one of the WNBA’s highest paid stars.
Minnesota Lynx (Western)
Often considered the most successful active team in the WNBA, the Minnesota Lynx have played since 1999. In that time, they have earned four WNBA titles, seven conference titles, and a Commissioner’s Cup. They have made it to the playoffs in 15 of their 26 seasons.
The Target Center has hosted some of the WNBA’s greatest players in history as the home of the Lynx. Maya Moore is the team’s leading all-time scorer, and was on the roster for all four of their WNBA title wins. Nowadays, Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride are seen as some of their most important active players.
Connecticut Sun (Eastern)
The Connecticut Sun was originally founded as the Orlando Miracle in 1999, before being bought and relocated by the Mohegan tribe in 2003. Since then, they’ve played from the Mohegan Sun resort, and have earned back-to-back conference titles in 2004 and 2005.
Arguably the Connecticut Sun’s most famous former player is FIBA Hall of Fame inductee Margo Dyrdek, who is recognised as the tallest WNBA player ever at 7 ft 2 in. Other notable former players are Tina Charles, who was named WNBA MVP in 2012, and all-time top scorer Nykesha Sales.
Indiana Fever (Eastern)
Founded in 2000, the Indiana Fever won the WNBA Championship in 2012, and are three-time conference champions (2009, 2012, and 2015). They also won the 2025 Commissioner’s Cup.
The Indiana Fever’s most notable player is Caitlin Clark, one of the WNBA’s most marketable players who helped popularise the league in recent years. She’s a two-time WNBA All-Star, a former Rookie of the Year, and was named as the 2024 Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press. Tamika Hutchings is the longest-tenured player in franchise history, playing with the Chicago Sun for 14 years.
Seattle Storm (Western)
Along with the Minnesota Lynx and the now-defunct Houston Comets, the Seattle Storm are tied for the most WNBA title wins in history. After being founded in 2000, they won their first finals in 2004, with later victories in 2010, 2018, and 2020. They’re also two-time conference champions (2004, and 2010), and won the 2021 Commissioner’s Cup.
Some of the most important players in Seattle Storm history include Betty Lennox, who was named Finals MVP during their 2004 win, and fan favourite Australian shooter Lauren Jackson. Nowadays, star players like Alysha Clark and Ezi Magbegor are continuing the team’s legacy.
Chicago Sky (Eastern)
Since 2006, Chicago has been represented in the WNBA by the Chicago Sky. Based in the Wintrust Arena and overseen by head coach Tyler Marsh, the Sky won their first WNBA Championship in 2021. They were also Eastern conference champions in 2014, finishing the regular season as the #1 seed.
Sylvia Fowles has played more games for the Chicago Sky than any other WNBA player, while Courtney Vandersloot is the team’s all-time leading scorer, despite being one of the WNBA’s shortest players right now. Allie Quigley is also regarded as one of the team’s best ever players, having played a crucial role in their 2021 success.
Atlanta Dream (Eastern)
The Atlanta Dream was founded in 2007, and they currently play their games from the Gateway Center Arena. The Dream are yet to win a WNBA Championship, but they have been conference champions in 2010, 2011, and 2013. They also finished the 2014 and 2018 seasons as the #1 seed.
The longest tenured player in the Atlanta Dream’s history was Angel McCoughtry, who played 10 seasons with the team between 2009 and 2019. Meanwhile, current players like Alisha Gray and Rhyne Howard rank as some of the roster’s most important stars.
Golden State Valkyries (Western)
The most recent addition to the WNBA lineup is the Golden State Valkyries, who debuted in the 2025 season. They represent Northern California, after the Sacramento Monarchs disbanded in 2009.
Playing their games from the Chase Center in San Francisco, California, they are the WNBA partners of the Golden State Warriors. With head coach Natalie Nakase, and early standout players like Kayla Thornton and Veronica Burton, they’re looking to prove themselves in their first season.
The most successful WNBA teams
In the early years of the WNBA, the Houston Comets won back-to-back championships for four consecutive seasons. However, the team disbanded in 2008. Since then, two other teams have equalled this record: the Seattle Storm and the Minnesota Lynx.
The Minnesota Lynx won their first title in 2011 after beating the Atlanta Dream in the finals. They then would earn championships in 2013, 2015, and 2017, establishing the Lynx as one of the league’s best teams. They also hold seven conference titles and a 2014 Commissioner’s Cup win.
Seattle, meanwhile, won the 2004, 2010, 2018, and 2020 WNBA seasons. They are also two-time conference champions (2004 and 2010) and were the 2021 Commissioner’s Cup winners.
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