The WNBA is making history by bringing several marquee events from its 2026 All-Star Weekend to the newly opened Obama Presidential Center on Chicago’s South Side.
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The WNBA, announced that the Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park will serve as a featured venue during All-Star festivities on Friday, July 24, making the WNBA the first professional sports league to host major events at the landmark campus.
Fans can expect a full day of basketball, leadership, and community-focused programming, including AT&T WNBA All-Star Media Day and Practice, the third annual WNBA Changemaker Day, and WNBA Day. The events are designed to bring together players, fans, young athletes, and community leaders while celebrating the league’s commitment to empowering women and inspiring the next generation.
Most activities will take place inside the Center’s 60,000-square-foot Home Court athletic facility, which features a regulation-size WNBA basketball court. Programming will include youth basketball clinics, leadership panels, STEM activities, vision-board workshops, and other experiences focused on education, teamwork, and personal growth.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert called the partnership an opportunity to strengthen the league’s connection with communities through basketball, while Obama Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett said the Center is proud to welcome its first professional sports league and believes sports can help develop future leaders.
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The celebration continues across Chicago, with the State Farm WNBA 3-Point Contest and Kia WNBA Shooting Stars taking place at the United Center on July 24, while the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game tips off on Saturday, July 25, at the United Center. The announcement further cements Chicago as one of basketball’s premier destinations while showcasing the city’s South Side on one of the sport’s biggest weekends.
Hype around the presidential center is still up high and with this announcement, it just made fans and residents eager for this WNBA ALL-Star weekend.
