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WNBA Playoff Bracket 2026

Eight teams and three rounds, from the best-of-three first round to the best-of-seven WNBA Finals: every series as it stands, and every game with its start time in US Eastern.

First RoundBest of 3

1Minnesota Lynx0
8New York Liberty2

Liberty win 2-0

4Atlanta Dream1
5Washington Mystics0

Dream lead 1-0 · Game 2 · Wed, Sep 30, 19:00 ET

2Golden State Valkyries1
7Dallas Wings0

Valkyries lead 1-0 · Game 2 · Wed, Sep 30, 21:00 ET

3Las Vegas Aces1
6Indiana Fever1

Tied 1-1 · Game 3 · Thu, Oct 1, 21:00 ET

SemifinalsBest of 5

8New York Liberty
Dream/Mystics

Game 1 · Sun, Oct 4

Valkyries/Wings
Aces/Fever

Game 1 · Sun, Oct 4

WNBA FinalsBest of 7

TBD
TBD

Game 1 · Sat, Oct 17, 15:30 ET

Playoff schedule and results

WNBA playoffs schedule, September 2026

Sunday 27 September
Final
Minnesota Lynx
75–91
New York Liberty
Target Center
Final
Las Vegas Aces
102–85
Indiana Fever
Michelob ULTRA Arena
Final
Atlanta Dream
92–77
Washington Mystics
State Farm Arena
Final
Golden State Valkyries
104–80
Dallas Wings
Chase Center
Tuesday 29 September
Final
Indiana Fever
99–89
Las Vegas Aces
Gainbridge Fieldhouse
Final
New York Liberty
87–71
Minnesota Lynx
Barclays Center
Wednesday 30 September
R1 · G2
Washington Mystics
Atlanta Dream
CareFirst Arena
R1 · G2
Dallas Wings
Golden State Valkyries
College Park Center

WNBA playoffs schedule, October 2026

Thursday 1 October
R1 · G3
Las Vegas Aces
Indiana Fever
Michelob ULTRA Arena
Friday 2 October
R1 · G3
Atlanta Dream
Washington Mystics
If necessary · State Farm Arena
R1 · G3
Golden State Valkyries
Dallas Wings
If necessary · Chase Center

About the WNBA playoffs

This page tracks the 2026 WNBA playoffs series by series. The bracket at the top gives each matchup with its seeds and the series score, and the schedule below lists every game with its tip-off time in US Eastern and, when it is over, the final score.

Eight teams qualify, the eight best records in the league regardless of conference, seeded 1 to 8. The bracket is fixed rather than reseeded: the winners of 1 vs. 8 and 4 vs. 5 meet in one semifinal, and the winners of 2 vs. 7 and 3 vs. 6 in the other.

The first round opened on Sunday, Sept. 27, the semifinals are scheduled to begin on Oct. 4 and the WNBA Finals on Oct. 17.

How to use the WNBA playoffs

  • Read the bracket from left to right: the first round, the semifinals and the WNBA Finals.
  • Each series shows both seeds, the wins so far and the next game; when a team reaches the wins it needs, the card says who advanced.
  • Until a first-round series ends, the semifinal slot it feeds names the two teams still in it.
  • In the schedule, a game marked If necessary is played only if the series has not been decided by then.
  • The regular season, game by game, is on the WNBA schedule.

WNBA playoffs FAQ

How many teams make the WNBA playoffs?

Eight of the league's 15 teams in 2026: the eight best regular-season records, whichever conference they play in.

How long is each round of the WNBA playoffs?

The first round is best of three, with the higher seed hosting Games 1 and 3. The semifinals are best of five, and the WNBA Finals have been best of seven since 2025.

Does the No. 1 seed usually win the WNBA title?

More often than not: six of the 10 champions from 2016 to 2025 were No. 1 seeds. Our guide to the WNBA playoff format has every champion and every upset since the league started seeding 1 to 8.

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