The Atlanta Dream and the Golden State Valkyries will meet in the WNBA Finals 2026, with Game 1 at Chase Center in San Francisco on Saturday 17 October. Both teams swept their semi-finals 3–0, and neither has ever won a WNBA title, so the league will crown a first-time champion, CBS Sports reported. The best-of-seven series runs until 31 October if it goes the distance.
Golden State, in only their second season, have home-court advantage as the No. 2 seed. Atlanta, the No. 4 seed, are unbeaten in the play-offs so far.
WNBA Finals 2026 Schedule and How to Watch
All seven potential games are listed below, with UK and Nigeria times in brackets, according to CBS Sports.
- Game 1: Saturday 17 October, Valkyries v Dream, 3:30pm ET (8:30pm BST/WAT), NBC
- Game 2: Monday 19 October, Valkyries v Dream, 3:30pm ET (8:30pm BST/WAT), USA Network
- Game 3: Thursday 22 October, Dream v Valkyries, 8pm ET (1am BST/WAT, Friday), USA Network
- Game 4: Saturday 24 October, Dream v Valkyries, 3:30pm ET (8:30pm BST/WAT), NBC
- Game 5*: Monday 26 October, Valkyries v Dream, 8pm ET, USA Network
- Game 6*: Thursday 29 October, Dream v Valkyries, 8pm ET, USA Network
- Game 7*: Saturday 31 October, Valkyries v Dream, 8pm ET, USA Network
*If necessary. Fans outside the United States should check local listings. Note that the UK clocks go back on 25 October, so later UK times move an hour earlier.
How the Dream Reached the Final
Atlanta swept the Washington Mystics in the first round and then the New York Liberty in the semi-finals. They sealed the series with an 85–83 win in New York on Friday 9 October, when DeWanna Bonner made two free throws with 6.2 seconds left, the WNBA reported.
Angel Reese scored 22 points in that game and averaged 20.7 across the series, Yahoo Sports reported. “The job isn’t done,” the Defensive Player of the Year said afterwards.
It is the Dream’s first Finals appearance since 2013. They also reached the Finals in 2010 and 2011 but lost all three. Read more about Reese’s journey in our Angel Reese profile.
How the Valkyries Reached the WNBA Finals 2026
Golden State came from 16 points down to beat the Dallas Wings in a deciding Game 3 of the first round. They then swept the defending champions, the Las Vegas Aces, finishing the job with an 87–77 overtime win in Las Vegas on 9 October, NBC Sports reported.
Veronica Burton hit the go-ahead floater late in regulation, before Golden State outscored Las Vegas 16–6 in overtime. Gabby Williams scored eight of her 16 points in the extra period, and Kayla Thornton led the team with 18.
As a result, the Valkyries became the fastest expansion team to reach the WNBA Finals. Our WNBA expansion guide explains how they built a contender so quickly.
Players to Watch
Atlanta Dream
- Angel Reese: set a WNBA record with 521 rebounds in the regular season
- Rhyne Howard: scored 26 points in Atlanta’s first-round opener
- Jordin Canada: scored 25 points in Game 1 of the semi-final
- Allisha Gray: the leading scorer missed the last two semi-final games with a finger injury, so her fitness is key
Golden State Valkyries
- Gabby Williams: finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting
- Janelle Salaün: the first unanimous Sixth Player of the Year
- Kiah Stokes: grabbed 14 rebounds in Game 1 against Las Vegas
- Kayla Thornton: top scorer in the series-clinching win
Several of these stars collected individual honours this season. See the full list in our WNBA awards 2026 round-up.
Key Battle: Rebounding
The series could be won on the glass. Reese led the league with 12.1 rebounds per game, while Golden State set a franchise play-off record with 52 rebounds in Game 1 against the Aces, the Valkyries reported.
Atlanta’s pressure defence is another weapon. The Dream forced 22 turnovers in their first-round opener against Washington, so Golden State’s guards will need to protect the ball.
A Season of Records
The Finals cap a record year for the league. Regular-season attendance reached 3.79 million, and the Valkyries sold out every home game, as we reported in our story on the WNBA attendance record.
Who will become a first-time champion: Reese’s Dream or the second-year Valkyries? Tell us your prediction in the comments.
