Just four games remain for each WNBA team on the regular-season calendar, but the playoff fever has officially taken over even though the league is on break for the FIBA Women’s World Cup. The loaded postseason field promises high-stakes drama from the opening tip on Sept. 27 and culminates in a potential Finals Game 7 on Halloween, the league revealed Wednesday.

“The 2026 WNBA Playoffs presented by @madebygoogle and the WNBA Finals schedule is here 🗓️. Round 1 is set to tip off Sunday, September 27th!,” read the post by the WNBA on September 9. “All 8 teams have clinched. Stay tuned for playoff seeding.”

The playoffs get underway Sunday, Sept. 27, setting up a five-week gauntlet that could culminate on Halloween night on Saturday, Oct. 31, if the Finals go all the way.

The exact matchups have yet to crystallize, but the dance card is full. Eight contenders have officially punched their playoff tickets: the Minnesota Lynx, Golden State Valkyries, Las Vegas Aces, Atlanta Dream, Indiana Fever, New York Liberty, Washington Mystics, and Dallas Wings.

Fans will get their second taste of a best-of-seven WNBA Finals, aiming for more drama after the Las Vegas Aces steamrolled the Phoenix Mercury in a four-game sweep a year ago.

The title series retains its traditional 2-2-1-1-1 rhythm, placing Games 1, 2, 5, and 7 on the higher seed’s home floor, with Games 3, 4, and 6 hosted by the lower-seeded team. Preceding the main event, contenders must first navigate a sprint of a best-of-three first round and a grueling best-of-five semifinal battle.

Following Will be The Schedule For The Playoffs:

First round
Sunday, Sept. 27

Game 1: 2 p.m. ET (ABC)

Game 1: TBD (ABC)

Game 1: TBD (Amazon Prime)

Game 1: 9 p.m. ET (USA Network)

Tuesday, Sept. 29
Game 2: TBD (USA Network)

Game 2: TBD (Amazon Prime)

Wednesday, Sept. 30
Game 2: TBD (ESPN)

Game 2: TBD (ESPN)

Thursday, Oct. 1
*Game 3: TBD (ESPN)

*Game 3: TBD (USA Network)

Friday, Oct. 2
*Game 3: TBD (ESPN2)

*Game 3: TBD (Amazon Prime)

Semifinals
Sunday, Oct. 4
Game 1: TBD (ABC)

Game 1: TBD (NBC/Peacock)

Wednesday, Oct. 7
Game 2: TBD (ESPN)

Game 2: TBD (Peacock/NBCSN)

Friday, Oct. 9
Game 3: TBD (ESPN)

Game 3: TBD (Peacock/NBCSN)

Sunday, Oct. 11
*Game 4: TBD (ABC)

*Game 4: TBD (NBC/Peacock)

Wednesday, Oct. 14
*Game 5: TBD (ESPN)

*Game 5: TBD (Peacock/NBCSN)

Finals
Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 17 at 3:30 p.m. ET (NBC/Peacock)

Game 2: Monday, Oct. 19 at 8 p.m. ET (USA/Peacock)

Game 3: Thursday, Oct. 22 at 8 p.m. ET (USA/Peacock)

Game 4: Saturday, Oct. 24 at 3:30 p.m. ET (NBC/Peacock)

*Game 5: Monday, Oct. 26 at 8 p.m. ET (USA/Peacock)

*Game 6: Thursday, Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. ET (USA/Peacock)

*Game 7: Saturday, Oct. 31 at 8 p.m. ET (USA/Peacock)

Which Team Has The Best Shot At The WNBA Title?

While it’s fairly early to predict which team can go all the way, the playoff matchups for this season will showcase some of the strongest squads in recent years.

While it’s likely that the Minnesota Lynx will qualify as the number one seed, their path to the Finals is anything but simple. The Lynx have saddled themselves with the reputation of a squad that wilts under the postseason lights—a label that feels distinctly unwarranted, especially considering that last year’s exit was marred by an injury to their star player Napheesa Collier.

Not only is Collier back for this season, but she also has a partner in crime in Olivia Miles, who looks certain to capture the Rookie of the Year award this year. This Lynx squad dominates on both ends of the floor, and this year is perhaps their best chance to finally win the title for the first time since 2017.

For the second-seed Golden State Valkyries, a playoff berth in Year 1 was remarkable enough—Year 2 has been an absolute masterclass. At 29–11, the Valkyries haven’t just bypassed the traditional expansion growing pains; they’re actively breathing down the neck of the league’s elite with the No. 1 seed still within reach.

Head coach Natalie Nakase has already navigated the squad loaded with international talent this far quite brilliantly, so now the expectations are only increasing from Golden State fans for their team to go all the way.

Then we have the Indiana Fever. Championship-or-bust expectations now trail the Fever, driven by the star power of their premier Big 3—and magnified by the transcendent brilliance of Caitlin Clark. While there is no denying that the Indiana Fever is a scoring machine, currently averaging the league-best 97 points per game, it is their defensive work that has held them down this season.

If coach Stephanie White can find a way to balance the shooting prowess of Clark and Mitchell with some solid defensive anchoring, Indiana has all the pieces to go all the way this year.

Another team that could be the dark horse for this year’s race is the Atlanta Dream. The Dream are still hunting an elusive maiden WNBA title, and the pressure is palpable. Fresh off a demoralizing first-round knockout a season ago that crushed fan expectations, Atlanta enters the postseason with everything to prove.

On paper, Atlanta boasts one of the league’s most imposing rosters of 2026 behind Angel Reese, Alisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Brionna Jones, and Jordin Canada. However, with Jones sidelined indefinitely by a leg injury, Reese has become an even more important part of the Dream’s title push. And they have added the experienced DeWanna Bonner to their ranks.

The Las Vegas Aces cannot be doubted, with reigning MVP A’ja Wilson on the squad. Though she had some back issues in August, missing the FIBA World Cup as a result, this break in the WNBA schedule should help her be fully fit upon return.

We can analyze all we want, but only time will tell how the playoffs shape up. For now, the focus remains on the Women’s World Cup, with Team USA having advanced to the playoffs.