The WNBA Finals is the best-of-seven championship series that decides the Women’s National Basketball Association title. The 2026 Finals is expected to tip off in mid-October 2026, following an expanded 44-game regular season and an eight-team playoff bracket that begins on Sunday 27 September. The series caps the WNBA’s landmark 30th season.
What are the WNBA Finals?
The WNBA Finals is the title-deciding series of the Women’s National Basketball Association, contested between the champions of the league’s semifinal round. Since 2022 the Finals has been played as a best-of-seven series in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, with the higher-seeded team holding home-court advantage. Beginning in 2025 the WNBA restructured its entire playoff bracket: the First Round is a best-of-three involving the top eight regular-season finishers by record, the Semifinals are best-of-five, and the Finals is best-of-seven. The reigning champion enters the 2026 playoffs defending the title won in October 2025.
When are the WNBA Finals?
The 2026 WNBA regular season runs from Friday 8 May through Thursday 24 September. The playoffs tip off on Sunday 27 September with the First Round. Semifinals typically follow in early October, meaning the 2026 WNBA Finals is scheduled to begin in mid-October 2026, with Game 1 expected on or around 10 October. Exact dates and tip-off times are confirmed by the league in the weeks leading up to the series based on how the preceding rounds unfold.
Where are the WNBA Finals?
The Finals is played at the home arenas of the two qualifying franchises, with the higher seed hosting Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 if necessary. Recent Finals have been contested at venues including Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Target Center in Minneapolis, Footprint Center in Phoenix, and Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas. The expanded 13-team league for 2026 adds the Toronto Tempo and the Portland Fire to the existing franchises, meaning a Canadian venue is in play for the first time in league history if Toronto advances.
Key Contenders
The 2025 WNBA champion New York Liberty, the 2024 champion and the 2023 winner Las Vegas Aces have anchored recent WNBA title races. The Liberty, led by Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones, and the Aces, built around A’ja Wilson, enter 2026 as perennial contenders alongside the Minnesota Lynx, led by head coach Cheryl Reeve and star forward Napheesa Collier, and the Phoenix Mercury with Alyssa Thomas. The Indiana Fever, featuring Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston, and the Seattle Storm round out the list of leading contenders. The 2026 class of top draft picks and incoming international talent will shape the Finals contenders further as the season progresses.
How to Watch
In the United States, the WNBA Finals is broadcast across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and the WNBA’s direct streaming service WNBA League Pass. Disney’s ESPN platforms handle the majority of national coverage under the WNBA’s current media rights agreement. In Canada, TSN and TSN+ carry every Finals game. International viewers can subscribe to WNBA League Pass for live and on-demand coverage in most territories, and Sky Sports provides selected Finals coverage in the United Kingdom and Ireland. DAZN carries WNBA games in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Radio coverage is available via ESPN Radio and local station broadcasts from each Finals team’s home market.
History and Records
The WNBA Finals has been contested every year since the league’s inaugural 1997 season. The Houston Comets won the first four titles from 1997 to 2000 with Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson, a dynasty unmatched in the league’s history. The Minnesota Lynx won four titles between 2011 and 2017 under Maya Moore and Lindsay Whalen. The Las Vegas Aces are the most recent back-to-back champions, winning in 2022 and 2023, while the New York Liberty claimed their first-ever championship in 2024 and retained it in 2025. A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Maya Moore and Diana Taurasi rank among the most decorated Finals performers in league history.
Tickets and Attendance
WNBA Finals tickets go on sale through the home team’s box office and Ticketmaster once the Finals matchup is confirmed. Prices vary by market, typically ranging from around $50 for upper-tier seats to several hundred dollars for lower-bowl seating. Premium and courtside packages are available through each franchise’s hospitality desk. WNBA Finals games routinely sell out, and secondary-market prices can climb steeply for deciding games.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do the 2026 WNBA Finals start?
The 2026 Finals is expected to tip off on or around Saturday 10 October 2026, following the best-of-five semifinals round.
Where are the WNBA Finals played?
At the home arenas of the two qualifying teams, with the higher-seeded side hosting Games 1, 2, 5 and 7.
How can I watch the WNBA Finals?
ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 in the US, TSN in Canada, WNBA League Pass internationally, and Sky Sports in the UK.
Who won the 2025 WNBA Finals?
The New York Liberty won the 2025 WNBA Finals, repeating as champions after their 2024 title.