WNBA Playoffs 2026: Everything You Need to Know About the Race for the Championship

The 2026 WNBA Playoffs are underway, with eight teams competing for the championship. The postseason began on September 27, 2026, following a tightly contested regular season, and the championship series is scheduled to run from October 17 through October 31, if all seven Finals games are needed.

2026 WNBA Playoff Teams

The postseason field includes:

• Minnesota Lynx — No. 1 seed

• Golden State Valkyries — No. 2 seed

• Las Vegas Aces — No. 3 seed

• Atlanta Dream — No. 4 seed

• Washington Mystics — No. 5 seed

• Indiana Fever — No. 6 seed

• Dallas Wings — No. 7 seed

• New York Liberty — No. 8 seed

The WNBA seeds teams strictly by regular-season record, regardless of conference. (WNBA)

First-Round Matchups

The opening round features four best-of-three series:

Matchup	Series
No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 8 New York Liberty	Best of 3
No. 2 Golden State Valkyries vs. No. 7 Dallas Wings	Best of 3
No. 3 Las Vegas Aces vs. No. 6 Indiana Fever	Best of 3
No. 4 Atlanta Dream vs. No. 5 Washington Mystics	Best of 3

The first round uses a 1-1-1 format, meaning the higher seed hosts Game 1 and, if necessary, Game 3. (WNBA)

Where the Playoffs Stand on September 30

The first-round series are currently reaching their decisive stage.

The New York Liberty took Game 1 against Minnesota, while the Las Vegas Aces won Game 1 against Indiana. The other two series are scheduled for their second games on September 30. (WNBA)

Tonight's scheduled Game 2 matchups are:

• Atlanta Dream vs. Washington Mystics — 7 p.m. ET

• Golden State Valkyries vs. Dallas Wings — 9 p.m. ET

Both games are scheduled to air on ESPN. (WNBA)

The Championship Road

After the first round, the remaining teams advance to the semifinals.

The semifinals are best-of-five series using a 2-2-1 format. They are scheduled to begin October 4. (WNBA)

The winners then advance to the WNBA Finals, which have a best-of-seven format. The Finals are scheduled to begin October 17, with potential Games 5, 6 and 7 extending the series through October 31. (WNBA)

Teams to Watch

Minnesota Lynx

Minnesota finished the regular season with the league's best record and entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed. Their first-round matchup against the defending champions, New York Liberty, immediately created one of the most notable series of the opening round. (WNBA)

Golden State Valkyries

Golden State earned the No. 2 seed after finishing the regular season 32-12. The Valkyries face the Dallas Wings in a series featuring the league's second seed against the No. 7 seed. (WNBA)

Las Vegas Aces

The Aces entered the postseason as the No. 3 seed and are defending champions. They opened their series against Indiana with a Game 1 victory before the Fever responded in Game 2. (CBS Sports)

Atlanta Dream and Washington Mystics

The No. 4 Dream and No. 5 Mystics are separated by only two regular-season wins, making their first-round matchup one of the closer seedings in the bracket. Their second game is scheduled for September 30. (WNBA)

Indiana Fever

Indiana entered the playoffs as the No. 6 seed and drew Las Vegas in the opening round. After losing Game 1, the Fever responded with a Game 2 victory, forcing a decisive Game 3. (CBS Sports)

How the WNBA Playoff Format Works

The 2026 postseason has three stages:

First Round: Best of 3
Semifinals: Best of 5
WNBA Finals: Best of 7

Unlike the regular season, playoff qualification is based on the top eight overall records, rather than separate conference qualification. (WNBA)

2026 WNBA Finals Schedule

If the Finals require all seven games, the scheduled dates are:

• Game 1: October 17

• Game 2: October 19

• Game 3: October 22

• Game 4: October 24

• Game 5: October 26*

• Game 6: October 29*

• Game 7: October 31*

*If necessary. (WNBA)

Why the 2026 Playoffs Are Significant

The 2026 postseason brings together established championship contenders, emerging teams and several high-profile young players. The first round alone features the defending champion Aces, the top-seeded Lynx, Golden State's second-year playoff run and Indiana's return to the postseason spotlight.

With several first-round series potentially requiring a third game, the championship picture remains unsettled as the teams move toward the semifinals.

For the latest official bracket and results, the WNBA's 2026 Playoffs page provides the current postseason schedule and series status. (WNBA)