WNBA finals 2026: Where to watch, full schedule, preview

The 2026 WNBA Finals tip off Saturday, October 17, with a matchup between the league’s best offence and its stingiest defence, as the Atlanta Dream face the Golden State Valkyries in Game 1 at Chase Centre in San Francisco.

Game 1 is scheduled for Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. CT, 12:30 p.m. PT), with national coverage on NBC and streaming on Peacock.

All finals games will air on the same platforms.

Series Schedule

• Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 17 — 3:30 p.m. ET
• Game 2: Monday, Oct. 19 — 8 p.m. ET
• Game 3: Wednesday, Oct. 21 — 8 p.m. ET
• Game 4: Saturday, Oct. 24 — 1 p.m. ET
• Games 5–7 (if necessary): Oct. 26, 29 and 31

How they got here

Both teams were able to take out their opponents in the semi-finals. Golden State was able to sweep the Las Vegas Aces with three consecutive victories. Meanwhile, Atlanta won their series against New York Liberty via an 85-83 road victory.

From the records, it is evident that both finalists have an equal standing. Atlanta ended up on top of the Eastern Conference with a record of 30-14, scoring the most points per game in the entire league with 4,019 and a +302 point differential. Golden State ended up with a record of 32-12, the only team in the league to score only 3,305 points, with a +310 point differential.

They have met in one game this season, in which the Valkyries won with a score of 88-83.

Players to watch out for

Allisha Grey and Rhyne Howard form a solid backcourt for Atlanta, with Angel Reese and Brionna Jones playing inside. On the other side are Gabby Williams, Tiffany Hayes and the rest of the solid defence that is made up of Kiah Stokes and Iliana Rupert.

Prediction

This should be a tough and physical first game. Home court and a July win give Golden State the edge in a close, low-scoring battle, but Atlanta’s firepower makes this a series built to go the distance.