– Top Draftees Azzi Fudd, Olivia Miles, Awa Fam Thiam, Flau’jae Johnson and Lauren Betts

to Make WNBA Debuts – 

– All Preseason Games Available for Free with WNBA ID in the WNBA App – 

– ION to Nationally Broadcast Four Preseason Games –

NEW YORK, April 23, 2026 – The WNBA today released its 18-game preseason schedule for 2026.

In addition to four national broadcasts on ION, every preseason game will be available on WNBA League Pass. Fans can stream these games for free in the WNBA App by signing up or logging in with a WNBA ID to unlock the preseason preview.* This marks the second consecutive year that the entire slate of preseason action will be available to fans. Information on the Canadian television broadcast and streaming schedule will be released at a later date.

“We’re seeing unprecedented demand for the WNBA, and WNBA ID is helping us meet that moment by making every preseason game available to fans for free,” said WNBA Chief Growth Officer Colie Edison.

The WNBA’s 2026 preseason action tips off Saturday, April 25, with a five-game slate. Action that day includes top picks from the 2026 WNBA Draft presented by State Street Investment Management SPY making their professional debuts, highlighted by second overall selection Olivia Miles and the Minnesota Lynx meeting the fourth overall pick, Lauren Betts, and the Washington Mystics at CareFirst Arena in Washington, D.C. (7:30 p.m. ET). In addition, Awa Fam Thiam, the third overall pick, and Flau’jae Johnson, the eighth overall pick, will lead the Seattle Storm against the Golden State Valkyries and their top rookie acquisition, Marta Suarez, at Chase Center in San Francisco (8:30 p.m. ET).

That day also features the first of four nationally broadcast games on ION, when two-time All-Star Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever visit the New York Liberty and former Kia WNBA MVPs Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart at Barclays Center (3:00 p.m. ET). Additionally, the Phoenix Mercury will take on the Chicago Sky at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls (4:00 p.m. ET), marking the first ever WNBA game played in South Dakota. Opening day preseason action will wrap when the Los Angeles Sparks, led by their former league MVP, Nneka Ogwumike, face the Nigeria Women’s National Team at Viejas Arena on the campus of San Diego State University (3:00 p.m. ET).

On Sunday, April 26, four-time Kia WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson and the defending champion Las Vegas Aces will host the Japan Women’s National Team at Michelob Ultra Arena (8:00 p.m. ET).

Preseason play continues Monday, April 27, when WNBA action returns to Kansas City for the first time since 2005, as the Lynx host the Nigeria Women’s National Team at T-Mobile Center (8:00 p.m. ET).

On Wednesday, April 29, the WNBA’s newest expansion teams, the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo will make their preseason debuts. Toronto will host the Connecticut Sun at Coca-Cola Coliseum (7:00 p.m. ET) and Portland will visit Seattle at Climate Pledge Arena (10:00 p.m. ET). That same evening, two-time All-Star Angel Reese, recently acquired by the Atlanta Dream in a trade with the Sky, will lead her new team into Chicago’s Wintrust Arena (7:00 p.m. ET) and the Japan Women’s National Team will visit 2025 MVP finalist Alyssa Thomas and the Phoenix Mercury (10:00 p.m. ET) at Mortgage Matchup Center.

The No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, Azzi Fudd, will make her debut alongside reigning Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year and 2025 first overall draft pick Paige Bueckers on Thursday, April 30, when the Dallas Wings visit the Fever and Clark, the top pick in the 2024 draft, at Gainbridge Field House (7:00 p.m. ET). This matchup is a preview of the regular season opener between the two teams set for May 9 and the second nationally broadcast preseason game on ION.

Additional highlights of the WNBA preseason schedule:

• In another matchup of rookie guards chosen in the first round of the 2026 draft, Kiki Rice and Toronto will visit Olivia Miles and the Lynx at Target Center on Friday, May 1 (8:00 p.m. ET).
• Three-time WNBA All-Star Aliyah Boston and the Fever will host the Nigeria Women’s National Team at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday, May 2 (7:00 p.m. ET).
• In the third nationally televised game on ION, 10-time WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner will make her home debut with her new team, Connecticut, when the Sun host the Liberty at Mohegan Sun Arena on Sunday, May 3 (5:00 p.m. ET).
• 2025 All-Stars and All-WNBA Rookie Team honorees Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen and the Mystics will travel to Atlanta to face the Dream and its rookie first round selection, Madina Okot, on Sunday, May 3 (3:00 p.m. ET).
• In its home preseason debut, Portland will host four-time All-Star Kelsey Plum and the Sparks at Moda Center in Oregon on Sunday, May 3 (3:00 p.m. ET).
• The Wings will face the Aces at the Moody Center on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin, on Sunday, May 3 (7:00 p.m. ET), which will be the final nationally broadcast preseason game on ION.

Following the conclusion of the preseason, teams will be required to finalize their rosters May 7, 2026.

The WNBA’s 30^th regular season will tip off on Friday, May 8 and conclude on Thursday, September 24, with each team playing 44 games. The WNBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel will begin on Sunday, September 27, culminating with the WNBA Finals.

The complete 2026 WNBA preseason schedule is available here.

WNBA ID is completely free to join. Fans can sign up at www.wnba.com/id using their email address. If you have a WNBA Account or NBA ID, you can sign in with your existing credentials to officially activate your WNBA ID.

2026 WNBA PRESEASON SCHEDULE

*From April 25 – May 3, all 18 preseason games on League Pass in the WNBA App will be available to stream free with WNBA ID (subject to local blackouts).

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