WNBA 2026 Playoffs: Teams, Seeding, and Viewing Options

With the 2026 WNBA regular season wrapping up, the eight teams heading to the playoffs are eager to finalize their bracket standings. The regular season concludes on Thursday, September 24, and the playoff action commences on Sunday, September 27.

Confirmed Playoff Teams

• Minnesota Lynx (32-10)
• Golden State Valkyries (31-11)
• Las Vegas Aces (29-13)
• Atlanta Dream (28-14)
• Indiana Fever (27-15)
• New York Liberty (26-16)
• Washington Mystics (26-16)
• Dallas Wings (26-16)

These teams are confirmed for the playoffs but they are still vying to determine their final seeding. The Minnesota Lynx lead the pack for the top seed, needing either one win or a Valkyries loss. They hold the tiebreaker over the Valkyries, having won their season series 3-1. The Lynx face the Indiana Fever twice, on Tuesday and Thursday.

The Golden State Valkyries will play the Portland Fire on Tuesday and the Las Vegas Aces on Thursday. The Lynx and Valkyries have already secured home court advantage in the first playoff round.

The Aces might clinch their home court advantage if the Atlanta Dream lose on Monday night. Meanwhile, the Dream can secure their advantage by winning all remaining games or seeing a Fever loss. Monday’s game against the Liberty won’t affect the Dream’s home court advantage.

Seeding and Tiebreakers

Seeding in the WNBA playoffs follows these guidelines when teams are tied:

• Better head-to-head record
• Superior winning percentage against teams finishing .500 or better
• Superior head-to-head point differential
• Overall point differential against all opponents

If multiple teams tie, the WNBA eliminates as many as possible at each step. The process restarts from Step 1 for any remaining tied teams.

Broadcast Schedule

WNBA playoff games will air on NBC and Peacock. Here is a sneak peek at the viewing options:

Semifinals and Finals:

• Semifinals Game 1: October 4, 2026 – Time TBD on NBC, Peacock
• Semifinals Game 2: October 7, 2026 – Time TBD on Peacock, NBCSN
• Semifinals Game 3: October 9, 2026 – Time TBD on Peacock, NBCSN
• Semifinals Game 4: October 11, 2026 – Time TBD on NBC, Peacock
• Semifinals Game 5: October 14, 2026 – Time TBD on Peacock, NBCSN
• Finals Game 1: October 17, 2026, at 3:30 PM ET on NBC, Peacock
• Finals Game 4: October 24, 2026, at 3:30 PM ET on NBC, Peacock

For other Finals games, Peacock will simulstream USA’s production by Versant’s USA Sports.

Peacock Coverage

Peacock streams nationally televised WNBA games that air on NBC, along with exclusive Peacock games. Annually, this includes 22 national games shared between Peacock and NBC. Peacock also offers a selection of playoff games. For more on viewing options, please check Peacock’s schedule.

On-Air Talent

Sue Bird and Cheryl Miller work as studio analysts. Maria Taylor and LaChina Robinson host, while Robinson and Sarah Kustok provide game analysis. Zora Stephenson, Noah Eagle, and Michael Grady deliver play-by-play commentary. Courtside reporting comes from Ashley ShahAhmadi, Jordan Cornette, and Caroline Pineda.

Signing Up for Peacock

Signing up for Peacock grants access to live sports, documentaries, classic matches, hit movies, TV shows, original content, and more. For sign-up details, visit Peacock’s website for a broader range of entertainment options.