Chicago to host 2026 WNBA All-Star Game

The 2026 WNBA All-Star Game volition beryllium played astatine Chicago's United Center connected Saturday July 25, the league announced Thursday.

It volition beryllium the 2nd clip Chicago has hosted the game. It was determination successful 2022, but held astatine Wintrust Arena, the location arena of the WNBA's Chicago Sky. The Sky has played immoderate regular-season games astatine United Center, including this past season.

United Center, location of the NBA's Bulls and NHL's Blackhawks, has a larger capacity: astir 20,900 for hoops compared to Wintrust's approximate 10,380.

However, Wintrust volition inactive beryllium progressive successful All-Star festivities arsenic the tract of the 3-Point Contest and WNBA Skills Challenge, which volition beryllium connected Friday, July 24. WNBA Live, the league's interactive instrumentality festival, volition beryllium held astatine Chicago's McCormick Place during All-Star weekend.

"The WNBA is thrilled to bring AT&T WNBA All-Star backmost to Chicago, which volition undoubtedly present unforgettable contention and assemblage outreach," WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said successful a statement. "Together with the Chicago Sky, we look guardant to celebrating the game's brightest stars, engaging WNBA fans astir the world, and showcasing the vigor of 1 of basketball's astir iconic cities."

It volition beryllium the 2nd consecutive Midwestern All-Star Game for the WNBA; Indiana hosted the lawsuit for the archetypal clip earlier this year.

"The Chicago Sky are thrilled to invited the 2026 WNBA All-Star crippled backmost to Chicago," Sky CEO and president Adam Fox said. "We can't hold to physique connected the occurrence of the erstwhile All-Star crippled and observe the explosive maturation of the league by showcasing the WNBA's biggest stars connected a world-class stage."