The WNBA stated that fans at the August 16, 2026, Atlanta Dream versus Indiana Fever game should not have been directed by security to cover shirts addressing transgender participation in women's sports. Supported reports confirm at least three fans were approached, two wearing messages restricting competition to those assigned female at birth and one supporting transgender participation, with no transgender women having played in the league. The league's collective bargaining agreement limits eligibility to women without further gender-identity specifications.