WNBA home teams record lowest win percentage in league history
Only New York holds a winning home record as league officials and analysts dismiss the statistic as a scheduling anomaly rather than a structural shift.
Home teams in the WNBA have won only 29 per cent of games through the first two weeks of the 2026 season, marking the worst start for home teams in the league’s 30-year history. According to statistics provided by the WNBA to The Associated Press and compiled by the Elias Sports Bureau, the figure represents a significant deviation from historical norms. Of the 15 teams in the league, only New York currently holds a winning record at home.
The previous low for a home win percentage at this stage of the season was 41 per cent in 2021, a period when fans were excluded from arenas due to the pandemic. In 2016, home teams won 43 per cent of their games to start the season, though that figure rose to 55 per cent by the end of the campaign. Similarly, despite the poor start in 2021, home teams secured nearly 54 per cent of games by season’s end.
League officials and analysts suggest the current trend is driven by multifactorial causes, including scheduling, rather than a fundamental change in competitive dynamics. Expected top contenders Las Vegas and New York have been on the road for most of the early season, limiting their opportunities to secure home victories. Conversely, Chicago, which finished near the bottom of the standings last year, has gone 3-1 on the road to begin this season.
Attendance figures do not support the theory that a lack of crowd support is driving the low home win rate. Attendance is up 6 per cent compared to last year, with the second-year Minnesota Valkyries drawing well in their first two home games after leading the league in attendance last year. Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase noted that while the team appreciates the support, they focus on preparation for the noise rather than viewing it as a definitive advantage.
“Elias Sports Bureau stats provided to The Associated Press by the WNBA” show that the data is robust, yet experts remain sceptical of its long-term implications. ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo described the statistic as “bizarre and interesting” but stated she did not believe it signals a persistent trend. Nakase echoed this sentiment, saying she does not put much stock in early-season home advantage metrics, emphasising that teams must be ready to compete regardless of location.
