2026 WNBA Playoffs Begin Sunday: Bracket, Schedule, and How to Watch

The longest WNBA season in league history ends this Sunday — and it ends with a postseason that looks genuinely unpredictable from top to bottom. Four best-of-three first-round series tip off September 27, headlined by defending champion Las Vegas Aces taking on Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever, and a rematch of the 2024 WNBA Finals between the No. 1 Minnesota Lynx and the No. 8 New York Liberty.

The 2026 season arrived already carrying weight. A contentious labor battle produced a raise for players — the salary cap jumped from $1.5 million in 2025 to $7 million in 2026, according to CBS Sports — followed by a condensed offseason, the arrival of two expansion teams, and a rookie class that immediately rewrote the record books.

The records fell fast. Kelsey Mitchell broke A'ja Wilson's single-season points record. Rookie Olivia Miles broke Caitlin Clark's rookie scoring record. Clark became the first player in WNBA history to record a 40-point, 10-assist game. Angel Reese set a new single-game rebounding record with 26. Marina Mabrey tied the single-game scoring record with 53 points. According to CBS Sports, it has been 'electric from start to finish.'

The bracket was finalized Thursday night, when the Golden State Valkyries — one of the two new expansion franchises — overcame a 16-point deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Sparks in what was Nneka Ogwumike's farewell game, claiming the No. 2 seed in the process.

The WNBA does not split teams by conference for the playoffs; the top eight teams league-wide advance. In the first round, the higher seed hosts Games 1 and 3 (if necessary), while the lower seed hosts Game 2. The second round is best-of-five, and the Finals will be best-of-seven — only the second time in league history that format has been used.

Sunday's Game 1 slate features the Lynx hosting the Liberty, the Aces hosting the Fever, the Dream hosting the Mystics, and the Valkyries hosting the Wings, with coverage on national television outlets. Game 2s follow later in the week, with potential Game 3s early the next week.

The semifinals begin early the following week, with coverage on major networks and streaming platforms. The Finals open mid-October — with a possible Game 7 at month's end — and all Finals games stream on Peacock with national coverage on NBC or USA Network. International viewers in the UK and Ireland can access select games and the Finals on Sky Sports, according to Olympics.com.

For the Aces, a championship run would mark back-to-back titles for the second time in five years, with perennial MVP A'ja Wilson leading the charge. Standing in their way in the first round is a Fever team built around Clark, whose individual brilliance this season — including that 40-point, 10-assist performance — has made Indiana one of the most-watched teams in the league.

The WNBA playoffs are set and the Las Vegas Aces are going for back-to-back titles for the second time in five years.— Yahoo Sports

Why it matters — A record-setting regular season has produced the most competitive WNBA playoff field in years, with a labor-deal-fueled talent boom, two expansion franchises, and a title defense by the Aces all converging at once.

Reported by yahoo.com, cbssports.com, olympics.com