WNBA Playoffs 2026: Bracket, Schedule and how to watch the first round of games
Eight teams remain as the postseason begins Sunday with four first round games
The WNBA ’s 30th season has reached its elimination stage, and the final night of the regular season delivered a bracket loaded with immediate intrigue.
Minnesota finished 33-11 to secure the No.1 seed, while Golden State claimed second at 32-12. Defending champion Las Vegas landed third, Atlanta fourth, Washington fifth and Indiana sixth, with Dallas and New York completing the eight-team field.
The first round begins Sunday, September 27, and uses a best-of-three 1-1-1 format. Higher seeds host Games 1 and 3, if necessary, while the lower seed hosts Game 2.
WNBA Playoffs 2026 first-round bracket
The opening-round matchups are:
No.1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No.8 New York Liberty
No.2 Golden State Valkyries vs. No.7 Dallas Wings
No.3 Las Vegas Aces vs. No.6 Indiana Fever
No.4 Atlanta Dream vs. No.5 Washington Mystics
Minnesota-New York immediately reunites two franchises that met in the 2024 Finals, while Golden State ’s second season continues with home-court advantage against a Dallas team that completed a remarkable turnaround.
Dallas finished 27-17 after winning only 10 games the previous season, setting a WNBA record for the largest single-season improvement.
Las Vegas-Indiana may attract much of the early attention, with the reigning champions opening against Caitlin Clark and a Fever team that slipped to sixth on the final day.
First-round schedule and how to watch
All four Game 1s will be played Sunday, September 27 . The WNBA has announced two ABC windows at 2 p.m. ET and 4 p.m. ET, along with one game on Prime Video and another at 9 p.m. ET on USA Network.
The league’s official postseason schedule hasn't been assigned every matchup to its specific television window.
Game 2s will follow on Tuesday, September 29 and Wednesday, September 30 across USA Network, Prime Video and ESPN.
Any deciding Game 3s are scheduled for Thursday, October 1 and Friday, October 2 , with coverage split between ESPN, ESPN2, USA Network and Prime Video.
What happens after the first round?
The semifinals begin Sunday, October 4 and expand to a best-of-five 2-2-1 format.
The WNBA Finals start October 17 and remain best-of-seven, with a potential Game 7 scheduled for October 31.
After 44 regular-season games, expansion storylines and a late scramble for positioning, the path to the championship is finally clear.
Eight teams remain, and the margin for error is immediately small, so lose twice in the opening round, and the season is over.
