WNBA Playoffs First Round Opens Sunday With Four Best-of-Three Series
The short version
- WNBA playoffs open Sunday, Sept. 27, with four best-of-three first-round series
- Top-seeded Minnesota Lynx face the No. 8 New York Liberty, a 2024 Finals rematch
- Defending champion Las Vegas Aces, led by A'ja Wilson, meet Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever
- Golden State's Paige Bueckers and Minnesota's Olivia Miles make playoff debuts
- No. 4 Atlanta hosts No. 5 Washington in the closest-seeded matchup
The 2026 WNBA postseason bracket is set, with all eight qualifiers beginning best-of-three first-round series on Sunday, Sept. 27.
The WNBA postseason begins Sunday, Sept. 27, after the longest regular season in league history. Eight teams qualified, and the bracket features four best-of-three first-round series, with tip times listed in Eastern Time.
The top-seeded Minnesota Lynx face the No. 8 New York Liberty in a rematch of the 2024 WNBA Finals. Minnesota finished as the league's top team this season, boosted by the emergence of Olivia Miles and the return of Napheesa Collier. New York counters with Sabrina Ionescu in the backcourt and Breanna Stewart inside. Game 1 is Sunday at 2 p.m. on ABC in Minnesota; Game 2 is Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 8:30 p.m. on USA and CNBC in New York; a decisive Game 3 would be Thursday, Oct. 1, in Minnesota with a time to be determined.
The No. 2 Golden State Valkyries meet the No. 7 Dallas Wings. After a strong debut expansion season a year ago, Golden State this year ranked first in the league in both defensive rating and made 3-pointers, with Gabby Williams leading the way. Dallas, making its playoff run behind Paige Bueckers, has enough offense to compete in any matchup. Game 1 is Sunday at 9 p.m. on USA and CNBC at Golden State; Game 2 is Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 9 p.m. on ESPN in Dallas; Game 3, if needed, is Friday, Oct. 2, at Golden State.
Perhaps the most anticipated matchup is No. 3 Las Vegas against No. 6 Indiana. The Aces, the defending champions, are led by A'ja Wilson, while the Fever feature Caitlin Clark. The teams met in last year's semifinals, a series Las Vegas survived in a tight finish. Clark was unavailable for that series but is set to play this time. Game 1 is Sunday at 4 p.m. on ABC in Las Vegas; Game 2 is Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 6:30 p.m. on Prime Video in Indiana; a possible Game 3 is Thursday, Oct. 1, in Las Vegas.
The No. 4 Atlanta Dream take on the No. 5 Washington Mystics in what looks like the tightest first-round draw. Atlanta brings Angel Reese to the playoffs for the first time, along with veteran DeWanna Bonner. Washington is built around the pick-and-roll pairing of Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen. Game 1 is Sunday at 7 p.m. on Prime Video in Atlanta; Game 2 is Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 7 p.m. on ESPN in Washington; Game 3, if necessary, is Friday, Oct. 2, in Atlanta.
Bueckers and Miles are both making their playoff debuts this postseason. With every qualifier seen as having a realistic path to the title, the first round carries unusually high stakes across the bracket.
Next up on the calendar: the Indiana Fever visit the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday, September 27 at 4:00 PM EDT at Michelob ULTRA Arena, airing on ABC.
Games to watch
