The bracket is locked. The 2026 WNBA Playoffs open Sunday, Sept. 27 with four Game 1s, led by a No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 8 New York Liberty rematch of the 2024 Finals. Also tipping: Golden State Valkyries vs. Dallas Wings, Las Vegas Aces vs. Indiana Fever, and Atlanta Dream vs. Washington Mystics.
First round is best-of-three (1-1-1). Semifinals are best-of-five starting Oct. 4. The Finals are best-of-seven starting Oct. 17. Tickets for opening weekend are already moving — especially Lynx-Liberty and Aces-Fever.
Official schedule hub: ESPN WNBA playoffs 2026
Bracket + TV grid: CBS Sports · Yahoo Sports
League site: WNBA.com
2026 WNBA Playoff Bracket
| Seed | Team | Record | First-round opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota Lynx | 33–11 | 8 New York Liberty |
| 2 | Golden State Valkyries | 32–12 | 7 Dallas Wings |
| 3 | Las Vegas Aces | 31–13 | 6 Indiana Fever |
| 4 | Atlanta Dream | 30–14 | 5 Washington Mystics |
| 5 | Washington Mystics | 28–16 | 4 Atlanta Dream |
| 6 | Indiana Fever | 28–16 | 3 Las Vegas Aces |
| 7 | Dallas Wings | 27–17 | 2 Golden State Valkyries |
| 8 | New York Liberty | 26–18 | 1 Minnesota Lynx |
Mystics took the No. 5 seed over Indiana on the tiebreaker after Thursday’s finale. Golden State held No. 2 with a last-minute rally over the Sparks.
First-Round Matchups & Schedule
All times ET. Game 3 only if a series is tied 1–1.
(1) Minnesota Lynx vs. (8) New York Liberty
2024 Finals rematch. Liberty won the 2026 season series 2–1.
- Game 1: Sun., Sept. 27 · 2 p.m. · Target Center · ABC
- Game 2: Tue., Sept. 29 · 8:30 p.m. · Barclays Center · USA / CNBC
- Game 3:* Thu., Oct. 1 · TBD · Target Center
Ticket snapshot: Lynx Game 1 get-in prices have been listed from the mid-$40s on resale; USA TODAY cited opening prices in the $50–$70 range depending on the listing. Shop official team sites plus Ticketmaster and compare Capital City Tickets.
(3) Las Vegas Aces vs. (6) Indiana Fever
Title-defense Aces vs. Caitlin Clark’s Fever. Fever won the season series 2–1.
- Game 1: Sun., Sept. 27 · 4 p.m. · Michelob ULTRA Arena · ABC
- Game 2: Tue., Sept. 29 · 6:30 p.m. · Gainbridge Fieldhouse · Prime
- Game 3:* Thu., Oct. 1 · TBD · Michelob ULTRA Arena
This is the national-TV showcase series. Expect the steepest secondary-market prices of the first round.
(4) Atlanta Dream vs. (5) Washington Mystics
Mystics won the season series 2–1.
- Game 1: Sun., Sept. 27 · 7 p.m. · Gateway Center Arena · Prime
- Game 2: Wed., Sept. 30 · 7 p.m. · Washington · ESPN
- Game 3:* Fri., Oct. 2 · TBD · Gateway Center Arena
USA TODAY listed Dream Game 1 tickets starting around $106 on one marketplace snapshot. Confirm live inventory.
(2) Golden State Valkyries vs. (7) Dallas Wings
Valkyries swept the season series 3–0. Paige Bueckers and Dallas visit Chase Center first.
- Game 1: Sun., Sept. 27 · 9 p.m. · Chase Center · USA / CNBC
- Game 2: Wed., Sept. 30 · 9 p.m. · Dallas · ESPN
- Game 3:* Fri., Oct. 2 · TBD · Chase Center
How to Watch
Sunday Game 1s split across ABC, Prime and USA. Later games move to ESPN, Prime and USA/CNBC. Semifinal and Finals windows include NBC/Peacock. Use the ESPN WNBA scoreboard for day-of changes.
How to Buy Playoff Tickets
- Start with each team’s official site or Ticketmaster for primary inventory.
- Compare all-in prices on StubHub, SeatGeek and Vivid Seats — fees change the “cheap” seat.
- Game 3 is if necessary. Don’t overpay for a potential Game 3 until Games 1–2 are final unless you can transfer or get a refund.
- Mobile entry is standard. Screenshot tickets often fail at the gate.
- Road games (Barclays, Gainbridge, Chase Center) sell different than midweek midweek arenas — check both cities before you fly.
Series ticket explainers: Lynx vs Liberty · Dream vs Mystics
What Happens After the First Round
- Semifinals: best-of-five, start Sunday, Oct. 4 (ABC / NBC-Peacock windows).
- WNBA Finals: best-of-seven, Game 1 Saturday, Oct. 17. Higher seed hosts 1, 2, 5 and 7.
Winners of Lynx-Liberty and Dream-Mystics would meet on one side if both advance; Valkyries-Wings and Aces-Fever feed the other half.
FAQ
When do the 2026 WNBA Playoffs start?
Sunday, Sept. 27, with four Game 1s.
What’s the first-round format?
Best-of-three, 1-1-1. Higher seed hosts Games 1 and 3.
Who has home-court through the Finals?
Minnesota, if the Lynx keep winning. They were the No. 1 seed at 33–11.
Where can I watch Game 1?
Lynx-Liberty and Aces-Fever are on ABC. Dream-Mystics is on Prime. Valkyries-Wings is on USA/CNBC.
Disclaimer: The Ticket News is an independent live-events guide. We are not affiliated with the WNBA, its teams, arenas, Ticketmaster or resale marketplaces. Links may be affiliate links. Prices, broadcast windows and Game 3 dates change. Confirm on official team and league pages before you buy.