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Sophie Cunningham Becomes Eighth WNBA Star to Commit to Project B's 2026 Global League

The venture touts player equity plus reported seven-figure salaries as it targets a November–April global tournament slate.

Overview

  • Cunningham joins a group of eight announced women’s players that includes Nneka Ogwumike, Alyssa Thomas, Jonquel Jones, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Mitchell, Kamilla Cardoso, Li Meng and Janelle Salaün.
  • Project B plans men’s and women’s tournaments from November 2026 through April 2027, with events envisioned in Asia, Europe and the Americas and a final tournament to crown a champion.
  • The league says athletes will hold equity, and Front Office Sports reports top players have been offered contracts worth more than $2 million per year, far above current WNBA salaries.
  • Founders say the cap table has no Saudi funding and no sovereign wealth fund investment, while confirming paid event-operations partnerships with AEG and Saudi-owned Sela.
  • The planned calendar conflicts with Unrivaled and overseas leagues, and the venture has drawn online criticism over funding ties and broader concerns about its impact on women’s basketball.