Updated October 20, 2026: The No. 2 Golden State Valkyries and No. 4 Atlanta Dream are tied 1-1 in the WNBA Finals after two competitive games. They will play next on Wednesday, October 21 at 8 p.m. ET on USA, CNBC and Peacock.
It’s been a hard-fought season across the WNBA, and the moment everyone has been chasing all year is finally here: the 2026 WNBA Playoffs.
Wondering which WNBA teams made the 2026 WNBA Playoffs and how to watch all of the action on the courts? Here’s your complete guide to watching the WNBA Playoffs this season.
You can catch all the WNBA action live with DIRECTV!
2026 WNBA Finals Matchup and Schedule
The No. 2 Golden State Valkyries will face the No. 4 Atlanta Dream in the 2026 WNBA Finals.
Both teams swept their semifinal opponents in three games, with Golden State defeating the Las Vegas Aces and Atlanta defeating the New York Liberty. The best-of-seven series begins Saturday, October 17, with the Valkyries hosting Game 1.
|
Game |
Date |
Matchup |
Time (ET) |
Watch |
|
Game 1 |
Sat, Oct. 17 |
Golden State Valkyries vs. Atlanta Dream |
3:30 p.m. |
NBC, Peacock |
|
Game 2 |
Mon, Oct. 19 |
Golden State Valkyries vs. Atlanta Dream |
8 p.m. |
USA, Peacock |
|
Game 3 |
Wed, Oct. 21 |
Atlanta Dream vs. Golden State Valkyries |
8 p.m. |
USA, CNBC, Peacock |
|
Game 4 |
Sat, Oct. 24 |
Atlanta Dream vs. Golden State Valkyries |
1 p.m. |
NBC, Peacock |
|
Game 5* |
Mon, Oct. 26 |
Golden State Valkyries vs. Atlanta Dream |
8 p.m. |
USA, Peacock |
|
Game 6* |
Thurs, Oct. 29 |
Atlanta Dream vs. Golden State Valkyries |
8 p.m. |
USA, Peacock |
|
Game 7* |
Sat, Oct. 31 |
Golden State Valkyries vs. Atlanta Dream |
8 p.m. |
USA, Peacock |
*If necessary. All times are Eastern. Game 3 was moved from Thursday, October 22, to Wednesday, October 21; Game 4 remains Saturday, October 24, but now tips off at 1 p.m. ET.
2026 WNBA First-Round Results
The No. 8 New York Liberty pulled off the round’s biggest upset, sweeping the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx with double-digit wins in both games. The Atlanta Dream also advanced in two games, sweeping the Washington Mystics.
After losing Game 1 to the Las Vegas Aces, the Indiana Fever forced a decider with a 99–89 win in Game 2. Las Vegas won Game 3 to reach the semifinals. The Dallas Wings likewise forced a third game with an overtime victory, but the Golden State Valkyries responded with a four-point win to advance.
|
Date |
Game |
Result |
Series outcome |
|
Sept. 27 |
Lynx–Liberty, Game 1 |
New York Liberty 91, Minnesota Lynx 75 |
New York leads 1–0 |
|
Sept. 27 |
Valkyries–Wings, Game 1 |
Golden State Valkyries 104, Dallas Wings 80 |
Golden State leads 1–0 |
|
Sept. 27 |
Aces–Fever, Game 1 |
Las Vegas Aces 102, Indiana Fever 85 |
Las Vegas leads 1–0 |
|
Sept. 27 |
Dream–Mystics, Game 1 |
Atlanta Dream 92, Washington Mystics 77 |
Atlanta leads 1–0 |
|
Sept. 29 |
Aces–Fever, Game 2 |
Indiana Fever 99, Las Vegas Aces 89 |
Series tied 1–1 |
|
Sept. 29 |
Lynx–Liberty, Game 2 |
New York Liberty 87, Minnesota Lynx 71 |
New York wins 2–0 |
|
Sept. 30 |
Dream–Mystics, Game 2 |
Atlanta Dream 93, Washington Mystics 75 |
Atlanta wins 2–0 |
|
Sept. 30 |
Valkyries–Wings, Game 2 |
Dallas Wings 108, Golden State Valkyries 100 (OT) |
Series tied 1–1 |
|
Oct. 1 |
Aces–Fever, Game 3 |
Las Vegas Aces 94, Indiana Fever 83 |
Las Vegas wins 2–1 |
|
Oct. 2 |
Valkyries–Wings, Game 3 |
Golden State Valkyries 77, Dallas Wings 73 |
Golden State wins 2–1 |
2026 WNBA Semifinal Results
In just their second season, the No. 2 Valkyries swept the defending champion Aces to reach their first WNBA Finals. Golden State won Game 1 by 11 points, held on for a two-point victory in Game 2 and clinched the series in overtime.
The No. 4 Dream also swept their semifinal opponent, the Liberty. After a 10-point win in Game 1, Atlanta took Game 2 by three in overtime and secured its Finals berth with a two-point win in Game 3.
|
Date |
Game |
Result |
Series outcome |
|
Oct. 4 |
Dream–Liberty, Game 1 |
Atlanta Dream 92, New York Liberty 82 |
Atlanta leads 1–0 |
|
Oct. 4 |
Valkyries–Aces, Game 1 |
Golden State Valkyries 71, Las Vegas Aces 60 |
Golden State leads 1–0 |
|
Oct. 7 |
Dream–Liberty, Game 2 |
Atlanta Dream 101, New York Liberty 98 (OT) |
Atlanta leads 2–0 |
|
Oct. 7 |
Valkyries–Aces, Game 2 |
Golden State Valkyries 83, Las Vegas Aces 81 |
Golden State leads 2–0 |
|
Oct. 9 |
Dream–Liberty, Game 3 |
Atlanta Dream 85, New York Liberty 83 |
Atlanta wins 3–0 |
|
Oct. 9 |
Valkyries–Aces, Game 3 |
Golden State Valkyries 87, Las Vegas Aces 77 (OT) |
Golden State wins 3–0 |
Which Teams Made the 2026 WNBA Playoffs?
Here are the eight teams that made the 2026 WNBA Playoffs. Struck through teams have been eliminated.
- Minnesota Lynx
- Golden State Valkyries
- Las Vegas Aces
- Atlanta Dream
- Washington Mystics
- Indiana Fever
- Dallas Wings
- New York Liberty
How Do the WNBA Playoffs Work?
The top eight WNBA teams make the playoffs, which is played as a bracket tournament with a series of best-of-three first round matchups, best-of-five semi-final and best-of-seven final rounds.
Teams are seeded based on their finish on the standings in the regular season, and the team with the higher seed gets to play at home, with all of the advantages that come along with that.
Who Won the 2025 WNBA Championship?
The Las Vegas Aces won the 2025 WNBA title over the Phoenix Mercury in the first WNBA Final to feature a best-of-seven format in the league’s history.
Watch WNBA on DIRECTV
You can catch every moment of the 2026 WNBA Playoffs on DIRECTV. Get your subscription today!
Frequently asked questions
Which teams are playing in the 2026 WNBA Finals?
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Who won the WNBA playoffs last season?
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