Finals bound? See the 2026 WNBA Finals schedule, best-of-7 format and printable series tracker.
The 2026 WNBA Playoff schedule is officially scheduled to tip off on Sunday, September 27, 2026, following the conclusion of the regular season on September 24. While the official league bracket is finalized in September, the 2026 format remains a fixed 8-team bracket with a best-of-3 First Round, best-of-5 Semifinals, and a best-of-7 WNBA Finals.
2026 WNBA Playoff Picture (Current Standings)
Last updated: September 14, 2026. All eight playoff spots are clinched and the FIBA Women’s World Cup break (September 4-14) is over, so the final week of the regular season now sets the seed order. The Minnesota Lynx have already locked up the No. 1 seed and home court throughout the playoffs. Seeds 2 through 8 can still shuffle before the season ends September 24: New York, Washington and Dallas are all tied at 24-16, and Atlanta and Indiana are tied at 26-14. Seeding is by overall win percentage, and here is where the top 8 stand right now.
| Seed | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota Lynx | 31-9 |
| 2 | Golden State Valkyries | 29-11 |
| 3 | Las Vegas Aces | 27-13 |
| 4 | Atlanta Dream | 26-14 |
| 5 | Indiana Fever | 26-14 |
| 6 | New York Liberty | 24-16 |
| 7 | Washington Mystics | 24-16 |
| 8 | Dallas Wings | 24-16 |
Seeds 4-5 (Atlanta and Indiana) and seeds 6-8 (New York, Washington and Dallas) are tied on record and will be separated by tiebreakers. For the full, updated table, tiebreakers, and the live playoff picture, see our 2026 WNBA standings and 2026 WNBA stats and playoff picture.
2026 WNBA Playoff Bracket
Despite the league expanding to 15 teams in 2026, the 2026 WNBA playoff format remains focused on the top 8 teams regardless of conference. If the 2026 WNBA Playoff Bracket changes once the league finalizes details, we will update you here. All information is based on the end of the league season and the 2026 WNBA Playoff schedule.
| Seed | First-Round Matchup (projected, as of Sept 14) |
|---|---|
| 1 vs 8 | Minnesota Lynx vs Dallas Wings |
| 2 vs 7 | Golden State Valkyries vs Washington Mystics |
| 3 vs 6 | Las Vegas Aces vs New York Liberty |
| 4 vs 5 | Atlanta Dream vs Indiana Fever |
- First Round: No. 1 vs. No. 8 | No. 2 vs. No. 7 | No. 3 vs. No. 6 | No. 4 vs. No. 5.
- Format: Best-of-3 (1-1-1 home court).
- Semifinals: Best-of-5 (2-2-1 home court).
- WNBA Finals: Best-of-7 (2-2-1-1-1 home court).
2026 WNBA Playoff Schedule
Here’s the 2026 WNBA Playoff schedule for you. As we get updates or changes from the league, we’ll update you here.
Note: This is a projected schedule based on confirmed league start dates and historic broadcast patterns. Official times and matchups will be updated as the season progresses.
First Round (Best-of-3)
| Date | Game/Matchup | Time (ET) | Network |
| Sun, Sept 27 | Game 1 (All Series) | 1:00 PM to 10:00 PM | ABC / ESPN |
| Tue, Sept 29 | Game 2 (Two Series) | 7:30 PM / 9:30 PM | ESPN |
| Wed, Sept 30 | Game 2 (Two Series) | 7:30 PM / 9:30 PM | ESPN |
| Thu, Oct 1 | Game 3* (If Needed) | 7:30 PM / 9:30 PM | ESPN2 |
| Fri, Oct 2 | Game 3* (If Needed) | 7:30 PM / 9:30 PM | ESPN2 |
WNBA Semifinals (Best-of-5)
| Date | Game | Time (ET) | Network |
| Sun, Oct 4 | Game 1 (Both Series) | 3:00 PM / 5:00 PM | ABC / ESPN |
| Tue, Oct 6 | Game 2 (Both Series) | 7:30 PM / 9:30 PM | ESPN |
| Fri, Oct 9 | Game 3 (Both Series) | 7:30 PM / 9:30 PM | ESPN2 |
| Sun, Oct 11 | Game 4* (If Needed) | 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM | ABC / ESPN |
| Tue, Oct 13 | Game 5* (If Needed) | TBD | ESPN / ESPNU |
2026 WNBA Finals (Best-of-7)
| Date | Game | Time (ET) | Network |
| Fri, Oct 16 | Game 1 | 8:00 PM | ESPN |
| Sun, Oct 18 | Game 2 | 3:00 PM | ABC |
| Wed, Oct 21 | Game 3 | 8:00 PM | ESPN |
| Fri, Oct 23 | Game 4 | 8:00 PM | ESPN |
| Sun, Oct 25* | Game 5 | 3:00 PM | ABC |
| Wed, Oct 28* | Game 6 | 8:00 PM | ESPN |
| Fri, Oct 30* | Game 7 | 8:00 PM | ESPN |
How to Watch & Stream the WNBA Playoffs
All 2026 WNBA Playoff games are nationally televised across the Disney family of networks.
- TV: ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2.
- Streaming: ESPN App (with cable login), YouTube TV, Fubo, and Hulu + Live TV.
- International: WNBA League Pass (Blackout restrictions apply to live games in the US).
FAQ: WNBA Playoffs 2026
Question: When do the WNBA Playoffs start in 2026? Answer: The playoffs are scheduled to begin on Sunday, September 27, 2026.
Question: How many teams make the WNBA Playoffs? Answer: The top 8 teams in the overall standings qualify for the playoffs. There is no play-in tournament or conference-based seeding.
Question: Are the WNBA Finals best-of-5 or best-of-7? Answer: Starting in 2025, the WNBA Finals moved to a best-of-7 format. The 2026 Finals will follow this same structure.
2026 WNBA Regular Season
The 2026 WNBA regular season is the first one in a while to see new teams join the league. There were 15 teams in the WNBA Draft this year, and everyone is looking forward to our first full season of Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever since her rookie year.
Printable 2026 WNBA Playoff Bracket
