Season Preview

The stage is set for the league’s 30th season! 
Following a historic 2025 season highlighted by the Golden State Valkyries’ debut, A’ja Wilson’s KIA MVP run and the Las Vegas Aces’ third WNBA title in four years, Season 30 is set to tip off on Friday, May 8, 2026.  
With the 2026 WNBA Draft (tune in to ESPN on April 13 at 7:30 pm ET!) and the debut of two additional expansion teams on the horizon, the momentum is high. Check out some of the early storylines and key dates to look out for in the action-packed 2026 WNBA Schedule.  
<hr />
<h2>Season 30 Tips Off  </h2>
The WNBA enters its landmark 30th season with WNBA Tip-Off 2026 presented by CarMax on Friday, May 8, with a three-game slate. The action continues through the weekend with an additional three games on Saturday, May 9 and five games on Sunday, May 10, to kick off the 44-game regular season. 
Full weekend schedule: 
Friday, May 8 (3 games) 
<ul>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">7:30 pm ET: Connecticut Sun vs. New York Liberty </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">7:30 pm ET: Washington Mystics vs. Toronto Tempo </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">10 pm ET: Golden State Valkyries vs. Seattle Storm </li>
</ul>
Saturday, May 9 (3 games) 
<ul>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">1 pm ET: Dallas Wings vs. Indiana Fever </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">3:30 pm ET: Phoenix Mercury vs. Las Vegas Aces </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">9 pm ET: Chicago Sky vs. Portland Fire </li>
</ul>
Sunday, May 10 (5 games) 
<ul>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">1 PM ET: Seattle Storm vs. Connecticut Sun </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">3 PM ET: New York Liberty vs. Washington Mystics </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">7 PM ET: Las Vegas Aces vs. Los Angeles Sparks </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">7 PM ET: Atlanta Dream vs. Minnesota Lynx </li>
<li data-ccp-border-top="0px none " data-ccp-padding-top="0px" data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">8:30 PM ET: Phoenix Mercury vs. Golden State Valkyries </li>
</ul>
Season 30 is also highlighted with a rematch of the league’s inaugural game in 1997, with the Los Angeles Sparks hosting the New York Liberty on Sunday, June 21, on the anniversary of the original matchup.
<hr />
<h2>The Home Debuts: Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo </h2>
The league is expanding to a 15-team field with the highly anticipated debut of the Toronto Tempo and the Portland Fire. Each team will make their home debut during the weekend of WNBA Tip-Off 2026 presented by CarMax. 
Toronto: Friday, May 8 at 7:30 pm ET vs. Washington Mystics 
Portland: Saturday, May 9 at 9 pm ET vs. Chicago Sky 
<hr />
<h2>Aces Begin Back-to-Back Campaign, Revenge for the Mercury </h2>
The 2025 WNBA Champion Las Vegas Aces will begin their campaign for another back-to-back title (previously taking home the chip in 2022 and 2023) with their first home game on Saturday, May 9, hosting a 2025 WNBA Finals rematch against the Phoenix Mercury. The teams will face-off four times this season: 
Las Vegas Aces vs. Phoenix Mercury matchups: 
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Saturday, May 9 at 3:30 pm ET (@ Las Vegas) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1">Wednesday, June 17 at 10 pm ET (@ Phoenix) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1">Saturday, July 11 at 4 pm ET (@ Las Vegas) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="3" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1">Thursday, September 24 at 10 pm ET (@ Phoenix) </li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h2>Battle of the No. 1 Picks </h2>
2023 and 2024 No. 1 overall picks Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark are the Indiana Fever’s dynamic duo. Soon, the newest top selection in the 2026 WNBA Draft will join the Dallas Wings and team up with the 2025 No. 1 overall pick, Paige Bueckers. The rookie duos will match up three times, with the first game coming Saturday, May 9. 
Dallas Wings vs. Indiana Fever matchups: 
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Saturday, May 9 at 2 pm ET (@ Dallas) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1">Friday, August 14 at 7:30 pm ET (@ Indiana) </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="2" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1">Thursday, August 20 at 8 pm ET (@ Dallas) </li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h2>Commissioner&#8217;s Cup Presented by Coinbase</h2>
The sixth annual WNBA Commissioner’s Cup presented by Coinbase in-season tournament will take place Monday, June 1 through Wednesday, June 17. The Dallas Wings will kick off the two-game slate on opening night hosting the inaugural cup champions, the Seattle Storm. Following cup play, the top teams from the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference will go head-to-head in the 2026 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Championship. Who will be crowned the next Cup champion? 
<hr />
<h2 data-ccp-border-bottom="1px solid #000000" data-ccp-padding-bottom="1.3333333333333333px">AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star 2026 takes Chicago<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;335572071&quot;:6,&quot;335572072&quot;:1,&quot;335572073&quot;:0,&quot;335572079&quot;:6,&quot;335572080&quot;:1,&quot;335572081&quot;:0,&quot;469789798&quot;:&quot;single&quot;,&quot;469789806&quot;:&quot;single&quot;}"> </h2>
The W is heading back to the Windy City! AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star 2026 will take place Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25, hosted by the Chicago Sky.<span data-ccp-props="{&quot;335572071&quot;:6,&quot;335572072&quot;:1,&quot;335572073&quot;:0,&quot;335572079&quot;:6,&quot;335572080&quot;:1,&quot;335572081&quot;:0,&quot;469789798&quot;:&quot;single&quot;,&quot;469789806&quot;:&quot;single&quot;}"> 
<hr />
<h2>Additional Key Dates: </h2>
Monday, August 31 – Wednesday, September 16: FIBA break 
Thursday, September 24: Last day of regular season 
Stay tuned for more updates around WNBA Rivals Week presented by Ally, the 2026 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel and WNBA Finals dates!

2026-regular-season-key-dates

2026 WNBA Schedule Release: Key Dates and What to Know 

Press Release

– Toronto Tempo Makes Franchise Debut May 8; Portland Fire Opens Season in Return to WNBA May 9 – 
– May 9 Includes Defending WNBA Champion Las Vegas Aces’ Finals Rematch vs. Phoenix Mercury, and Caitlin Clark and Indiana Fever Hosting Paige Bueckers and Dallas Wings – 
– Los Angeles Sparks Host New York Liberty on June 21 in Rematch of WNBA’s Inaugural Game, 
on Anniversary of Original Matchup –
 
NEW YORK, Jan. 21, 2026 – The WNBA today released its <a href="http://www.wnba.com/schedule">game schedule</a> for the 2026 regular season, the league’s 30th, which will begin on Friday, May 8.  The regular season will conclude on Thursday, Sept. 24, followed by the WNBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel.
The milestone season will feature two new teams – the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo – and 44 games per team, with each team playing 22 home games and 22 road games. Highlights include a rematch of the league’s inaugural game in 1997, with the Los Angeles Sparks hosting the New York Liberty on Sunday, June 21, on the anniversary of the original matchup.  In addition, the sixth annual WNBA Commissioner’s Cup presented by Coinbase will feature a 17-day period in June when the schedule will consist entirely of Cup games.
The WNBA will unveil its complete television and streaming schedule at a later date. That schedule is expected to include over 200 of 330 games being available through the league’s national broadcast and streaming partners.
“As we prepare to tip off the WNBA’s historic 30th season, this schedule reflects both how far the league has come and the momentum that continues to drive us forward,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “From welcoming two new organizations in Toronto and Portland, to honoring our history with marquee matchups that connect the league’s first game to today’s stars, the 2026 season will celebrate the WNBA’s past, present, and future. With a record number of games, growing global reach, and unprecedented momentum, this milestone season will help define the next chapter of the WNBA.”
All 15 teams will be in action during opening weekend as part of WNBA Tip-Off 2026 presented by CarMax.
WNBA Tip-Off 2026 presented by CarMax will begin with three games on Friday, May 8, including the Tempo’s debut when it hosts the Washington Mystics at Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto (7:30 p.m. ET). In other opening night games, the New York Liberty will host the Connecticut Sun (7:30 p.m. ET), and the Golden State Valkyries, who last season became the first WNBA expansion team to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season, will visit the Seattle Storm (10:00 p.m. ET).
The action will continue on Saturday, May 9 with a matchup of the two most recent Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year winners, as Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings, who own the top pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft, visit Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever, champions of the 2025 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup presented by Coinbase (1:00 p.m. ET). Later, the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces will host the Phoenix Mercury in a rematch of last season’s WNBA Finals (3:30 p.m. ET). The nightcap marks the Fire’s regular-season return to the league, as Portland hosts the Chicago Sky at Moda Center (9:00 p.m. ET).
The opening weekend concludes on Sunday, May 10 with five games, highlighted by the Minnesota Lynx hosting the Atlanta Dream in a matchup of last season’s No. 1 and No. 3 playoff seeds, respectively (7:00 p.m. ET).
Commissioner’s Cup presented by Coinbase
The WNBA Commissioner’s Cup presented by Coinbase will feature a 49-game schedule from June 1-17. Each team will play one game against every other team in its conference – a total of six games for each of the seven Eastern Conference teams and seven games for each of the eight Western Conference teams. All Cup games except the Championship will count toward regular-season win-loss records.
Eastern Conference teams will play three games each at home and on the road. Western Conference teams will play either four games at home and three on the road, or three at home and four on the road.
The title game will be played on Tuesday, June 30, featuring the Eastern and Western Conference teams with the best record in Commissioner’s Cup play and will be hosted by the conference winner that has the best winning percentage in all regular season games played from opening day through June 17, the final day of Commissioner’s Cup games.
AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star 2026
The 2026 AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game, the 22nd All-Star Game in league history, will be played on Saturday, July 25 at United Center in Chicago. Additional All-Star activities will also include the 3-Point Contest and Kia WNBA Skills Challenge on Friday, July 24 at Wintrust Arena, home of the Chicago Sky. WNBA Live, the league’s interactive fan festival, will take place at McCormick Place.
FIBA World Cup Break
The WNBA regular season will include a roughly two-week break when numerous WNBA players are expected to represent their respective nations in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 from Sept. 4-13 in Germany.
Race for the WNBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel
With playoff berths and seedings potentially on the line, the regular season will resume after the World Cup break on Thursday, Sept. 17 and conclude with five games on Thursday, Sept. 24.
The WNBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel will then tip off on Sunday, Sept. 27. The bracket-style postseason will have three rounds, beginning with a best-of-three First Round featuring the top eight teams regardless of conference. First Round winners will advance to the best-of-five Semifinals, which will be followed by the best-of-seven Finals.
Additional Schedule Highlights
<ul>
<li>Two teams that closed the 2025 regular season on significant winning streaks – Las Vegas and Atlanta – will look to continue their streaks at the start of 2026.</li>
<li>The Aces need three wins to open the season to surpass the 2001 Sparks’ WNBA record of 18 straight regular season wins. The Aces will look to build on their 16-game winning streak when they open their season by hosting Phoenix (Saturday, May 9) and then visiting Los Angeles (Sunday, May 10) and Connecticut (Wednesday, May 13).</li>
<li>The Dream, whose six straight wins are two shy of the franchise record, will tip off at Minnesota (Saturday, May 10), visit Dallas (Tuesday, May 12), and host Las Vegas (Sunday, May 17) in its first three games.</li>
<li>In addition to opening the season against one another on Saturday, May 9, the Aces and Mercury will meet three more times: Wednesday, June 17 in Phoenix, Saturday, July 11 in Las Vegas, and Thursday, Sept. 24 in Phoenix on the final day of the regular season.</li>
<li>Indiana and Minnesota, the opponents in the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Championship Game last season, will clash three times. The Fever and Lynx will first meet on Sunday, Aug. 2 in Minneapolis before closing the regular season with consecutive matchups on Tuesday, Sept. 22 in Indiana and Thursday, Sept. 24 in Minnesota.</li>
<li>Indiana and Las Vegas, whose 2025 WNBA Semifinals series went to a decisive Game 5, will meet three times. The Fever will visit the Aces on Sunday, July 5 and Sunday, July 12, and host them on Thursday, Aug. 6.</li>
<li>New York, which met Las Vegas in the 2023 WNBA Finals and Minnesota in the 2024 Finals, will face those two teams a total of six times. The Liberty will host the Lynx on Friday, July 3 and the Aces on Sunday, Aug. 9. New York will visit Las Vegas on Tuesday, June 23 and Thursday, July 30, and will be in Minnesota on Saturday, July 11 and Friday, Sept. 18.</li>
<li>Six teams will host a total of 19 games at special venues that accommodate larger crowds than their normal home arenas.</li>
<li>The Tempo, which will play a majority of its home games at Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, will host three games at the nearby Scotiabank Arena and two games each at the Bell Centre in Montreal and Rogers Arena in Vancouver.</li>
<li>The Aces will host three contests at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, including games against Phoenix (May 9), Chicago (July 3) and Indiana (July 5).</li>
<li>The Mystics will play their regular-season finale against the Sky at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. (Thursday, Sept. 24).</li>
<li>The Sky will face Las Vegas (Sunday, June 28) and Indiana (Saturday, Aug. 8) at United Center.</li>
<li>The Sun will take on Los Angeles (Saturday, May 30) and Dallas (Thursday, July 2) at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, Conn., and the Sparks at TD Garden in Boston (Tuesday, Aug. 18).</li>
<li>The Wings will host Chicago (Sunday, July 12), Golden State (Friday, Aug. 7), and Indiana at American Airlines Arena in Dallas (Thursday, Aug. 20).</li>
<li>During the regular season, each team will play three games against every cross-conference opponent and either three or four games, including Commissioner’s Cup play, against in-conference opponents. The Eastern Conference comprises Atlanta, Chicago, Connecticut, Indiana, New York, Toronto and Washington. The Western Conference is composed of Dallas, Golden State, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Phoenix, Portland and Seattle.</li>
</ul>
Below is the game schedule for WNBA Tip-Off 2026 presented by CarMax.
2026 SCHEDULE: WNBA SEASON TIP-OFF PRESENTED BY CARMAX
 
<table style="width: 98.8929%" width="609">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">DAY</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">DATE</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">AWAY</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">HOME</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">LOCAL TIME</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">EASTERN TIME</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Fri.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/8/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Connecticut</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">New York</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:30 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">7:30 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Fri.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/8/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Washington</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Toronto</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:30 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">7:30 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Fri.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/8/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Golden State</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Seattle</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">10:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Sat.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/9/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Dallas</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Indiana</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">1:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">1:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Sat.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/9/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Phoenix</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Las Vegas</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">12:30 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">3:30 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Sat.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/9/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Chicago</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Portland</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">6:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">9:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Sun.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/10/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Seattle</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Connecticut</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">1:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">1:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Sun.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/10/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">New York</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Washington</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">3:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">3:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Sun.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/10/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Las Vegas</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Los Angeles</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">3:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">6:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Sun.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/10/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Atlanta</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Minnesota</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">6:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Sun.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/10/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Phoenix</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Golden State</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">5:30 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">8:30 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Tue.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/12/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Atlanta</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Dallas</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">8:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Tue.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/12/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Minnesota</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Phoenix</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">10:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Tue.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/12/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">New York</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Portland</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">10:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Wed.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/13/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Seattle</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Toronto</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Wed.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/13/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Las Vegas</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Connecticut</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">8:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">8:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Wed.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/13/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Chicago</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Golden State</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">10:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Wed.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/13/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Indiana</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Los Angeles</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">10:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Thu.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/14/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Minnesota</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Dallas</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">8:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Thu.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/14/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">New York</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Portland</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">10:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Fri.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/15/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Las Vegas</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Connecticut</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:30 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">7:30 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Fri.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/15/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Washington</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Indiana</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:30 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">7:30 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Fri.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/15/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Toronto</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Los Angeles</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">10:00 PM</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10.5195%" width="47">Fri.</td>
<td style="width: 15.9417%" width="77">5/15/26</td>
<td style="width: 17.3701%" width="127">Chicago</td>
<td style="width: 18.6658%" width="127">Phoenix</td>
<td style="width: 19.1475%" width="116">7:00 PM</td>
<td style="width: 54.9728%" width="116">10:00 PM</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
 
 
# # #

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WNBA Slated To Tip Off 30th Season Friday, May 8 with WNBA Tip-Off 2026 Presented by CarMax

NEW YORK, Nov. 14, 2025 – The WNBA announced today that Golden State Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes is the recipient of the Seasonlong WNBA Cares Community Assist Award in recognition of her mentorship, leadership, and commitment to advancing financial literacy and community empowerment. Throughout the Valkyries’ inaugural season in the Bay Area, Hayes dedicated herself to championing education and expanding access to tools that help individuals achieve financial independence. Central to that mission is the SEYAH Foundation, which Hayes founded to help shift people from survival to purpose. The foundation provides a safe and supportive space for overlooked and under-resourced individuals to grow through programs focused on mental health, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship. “Community work is at the core of who I am, it’s not just about giving back, it’s about pouring into the same community that has poured so much love into me,” Hayes said. “Receiving this award is a true honor because it recognizes something I would do regardless of recognition: serve, uplift, and inspire. I’m grateful every day for the opportunity to work alongside communities in the Bay Area and beyond, knowing that together we create a cycle of love, growth, and empowerment.”Highlights of Hayes’ efforts in the community are included below:• Violet Book of Business Program Launch: On May 5, as part of the program with the Valkyries and Chase designed to empower 14 Bay Area women entrepreneurs, Hayes shared resources and her personal story on her path to entrepreneurship.• R.I.S.E: Juvenile Justice Center: Hayes participated in the team’s R.I.S.E (Rights, Inclusion, Strength, and Empowerment) initiative on June 2. R.I.S.E is a youth-focused program designed to educate, inspire, and empower young people to become champions of equity, justice, and positive change in their communities.• Soar With Her Event: On July 2, Hayes and her Valkyries teammates participated in the “Soar with Her: Mentorship Program,” presented by United Airlines, a transformative initiative dedicated to empowering girls from Youth UpRising, a local non-profit that provides services and support for Bay Area youth. • Ascending Star Summit presented by Rakuten: Hayes participated in a community event on Aug. 26 with the team and Rakuten designed to empower early career-women and provide leadership development and career advancement resources.• Golden State Valkyries Fashion Show presented by Sephora: On Aug. 28, alongside her Valkyries teammates, Hayes celebrated the intersection of the WNBA and fashion and amplifying the voices and visibility of women in sports by showcasing dynamic collaborations.In recognition of Hayes’ commitment to the community, the WNBA will donate $20,000 to Changing Faces Inc., a non-profit selected by Hayes that enriches the lives of youth by focusing on transitional programs, substance abuse treatment, and long-term stability.

Awards

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-205605 aligncenter" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/11/CAA.png" alt="" width="200" height="90" />
NEW YORK, Nov. 14, 2025 – The WNBA announced today that Golden State Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes is the recipient of the Seasonlong WNBA Cares Community Assist Award in recognition of her mentorship, leadership, and commitment to advancing financial literacy and community empowerment. Throughout the Valkyries’ inaugural season in the Bay Area, Hayes dedicated herself to championing education and expanding access to tools that help individuals achieve financial independence. Central to that mission is the SEYAH Foundation, which Hayes founded to help shift people from survival to purpose. The foundation provides a safe and supportive space for overlooked and under-resourced individuals to grow through programs focused on mental health, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship. “Community work is at the core of who I am, it’s not just about giving back, it’s about pouring into the same community that has poured so much love into me,” Hayes said. “Receiving this award is a true honor because it recognizes something I would do regardless of recognition: serve, uplift, and inspire. I’m grateful every day for the opportunity to work alongside communities in the Bay Area and beyond, knowing that together we create a cycle of love, growth, and empowerment.” Highlights of Hayes’ efforts in the community are included below: • Violet Book of Business Program Launch: On May 5, as part of the program with the Valkyries and Chase designed to empower 14 Bay Area women entrepreneurs, Hayes shared resources and her personal story on her path to entrepreneurship. • R.I.S.E: Juvenile Justice Center: Hayes participated in the team’s R.I.S.E (Rights, Inclusion, Strength, and Empowerment) initiative on June 2. R.I.S.E is a youth-focused program designed to educate, inspire, and empower young people to become champions of equity, justice, and positive change in their communities. • Soar With Her Event: On July 2, Hayes and her Valkyries teammates participated in the “Soar with Her: Mentorship Program,” presented by United Airlines, a transformative initiative dedicated to empowering girls from Youth UpRising, a local non-profit that provides services and support for Bay Area youth. • Ascending Star Summit presented by Rakuten: Hayes participated in a community event on Aug. 26 with the team and Rakuten designed to empower early career-women and provide leadership development and career advancement resources. • Golden State Valkyries Fashion Show presented by Sephora: On Aug. 28, alongside her Valkyries teammates, Hayes celebrated the intersection of the WNBA and fashion and amplifying the voices and visibility of women in sports by showcasing dynamic collaborations. In recognition of Hayes’ commitment to the community, the WNBA will donate $20,000 to Changing Faces Inc., a non-profit selected by Hayes that enriches the lives of youth by focusing on transitional programs, substance abuse treatment, and long-term stability.

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Golden State Valkyries’ Tiffany Hayes Receives Seasonlong WNBA Cares Community Assist Award

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-205459" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/Thumbnail-2025-10-22T091402.509.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/Thumbnail-2025-10-22T091402.509.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/10/Thumbnail-2025-10-22T091402.509-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />
NEW YORK, Oct. 22, 2025 – Golden State Valkyries president Jess Smith has been named the inaugural recipient of the WNBA Business Executive Leadership Award presented by Deloitte, the WNBA announced today.
The new award recognizes a WNBA team president, nominated by their organization, who has demonstrated exceptional leadership in driving meaningful business transformation.
Teams submitted their business case for how the leader, and their team, excelled across four key business transformation categories including people and culture, revenue generation, stakeholder engagement, and innovation. All submissions were reviewed and voted upon by a committee of league leadership, led by Chief Growth Officer Colie Edison.
In Golden State’s inaugural season, Smith assembled a full-time front office staff of more than 60 employees dedicated to elevating women’s sports while fostering growth and retention opportunities across the organization. On March 26, 2025, the Valkyries eclipsed the 10,000-season ticket mark for season ticket holders of the team&#8217;s inaugural 2025 season, becoming the first WNBA team on record to hit this milestone. The Valkyries closed their first season by setting all-time WNBA records for both average attendance (18,064) and total attendance (397,408), selling out all 22 of their home regular-season games at the Chase Center in San Francisco. Smith also helped establish a robust roster of founding partners, including CarMax, JP Morgan Chase, Kaiser Permanente, OLLY, PG&amp;E, Sephora, United Airlines, Rakuten and Waymo. Additionally, the Valkyries sold merchandise in all 50 states and 70 countries.
Under Smith’s leadership, the Valkyries launched impactful community engagement initiatives. including an innovative partnership with Kaiser Permanente that generated a $25 [matching] donation to the Golden State Community Foundation for every jersey purchased. This program will donate the funds to Bay Area youth and has transformed merchandise revenue into a vehicle for social impact, funding research-based initiatives and coaching workshops designed to keeping young girls active.
Smith also oversaw the team’s local broadcast partnership, which introduced creative programming and community engagement activations, that gave fans unprecedented access throughout the season. The partnership extended the Valkyries’ reach to more than four million fans across Northern California.
Capping off a historic inaugural season, the Valkyries became the first WNBA expansion franchise to earn a playoff berth and the winningest expansion team in league history with 23 wins.
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Golden State Valkyries President Jess Smith Wins Inaugural WNBA Business Executive Leadership Award Presented by Deloitte

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Top 10 Plays of the Week

AP Recap

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Napheesa Collier made a go-ahead 18-footer with 1:24 left on the way to 24 points, and the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx rallied from a 17-point, third-quarter deficit to beat the Golden State Valkyries 75-74 on Wednesday night and move on in the WNBA playoffs.
Collier shot 10 for 16 and followed up her 20-point performance in Game 1 with a 14-point second half to bring her team back — and give the Lynx another chance to keep chasing that championship they just missed last year.
The Valkyries had one final chance with four seconds remaining following a shot-clock violation, and Cecilia Zandalasini couldn’t convert a jumper.
Kayla McBride made a go-ahead scoop shot for Minnesota with 2:48 to go after DiJonai Carrington connected on a 3-pointer from the left corner with 3:18 remaining to pull Minnesota within 70-69. McBride wound up with 18 points.
Veronica Burton had 13 points, nine assists, six rebounds and four steals as the expansion Valkyries nearly extended their special season. Monique Billings scored 15 points off the bench.
Carrington banked in a 3-pointer with 8:30 left that got the Lynx within 63-56 and McBride’s jumper made it a five-point game at the 7:19 mark before Golden State called timeout. The Valkyries immediately committed a shot-clock violation and McBride scored again.
The Valkyries, cheered by their raucous sellout crowd of 18,543, were in control for much of the game — unlike their 101-72 Game 1 defeat Sunday.
Billings rebounded her own miss just before the third-quarter buzzer, scored and converted a three-point play to put Golden State ahead 63-49 going into the final 10 minutes. But Minnesota kept creeping back.
After the final buzzer, fans chanted “GSV!” to celebrate a season in which <a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" href="https://apnews.com/article/valkyries-playoffs-expansion-team-74b0020aa69c724036e4294d8eed93fc" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA">Golden State made WNBA history</a> by becoming the first expansion franchise to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season.
And the Valkyries were unfazed playing in an unfamiliar venue for their first postseason home game. That “Balhalla” home-court advantage had to relocate nearly 50 miles south to the NHL San Jose Sharks’ SAP Center because the Laver Cup tennis showcase had booked Chase Center before Golden State had even been granted an expansion team.
Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski was one of the biggest supporters, sitting courtside with owner Joe Lacob and Warriors President Brandon Schneider.
Golden State lost all four regular-season meetings, three by double figures, so this one will both sting and show these women how close they are. Starting center Temi Fagbenle was a late scratch Wednesday because of right knee pain.
Valkyries <a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" href="https://apnews.com/article/natalie-nakase-valkyries-coach-of-year-998e958098170761eaa0307fddd93d0b" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA">coach Natalie Nakase was recognized</a> before the game as WNBA Coach of the Year and Burton the league’s most improved player.

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Game Recap: Minnesota Lynx vs. Golden State Valkyries (First Round, Game 2)

First Round Game Recap

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Game Recap: Lynx vs. Valkyries (9/17/25)

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Highlights From Veronica Burton 9-Assist Game

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Monique Billings with 15 Points vs. Minnesota Lynx

First Round Top Plays

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Top Plays of the Day, 9/17/25

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Golden State Valkyries 2026

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PRESS PLAY ON THE WNBA

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2026

WNBA Draft 2026

Mariella Fasoula signed a Rookie Scale Contract with the Golden State Valkyries.

2026 Draft Team Profile

Draft’26

Projected Draft Picks

Team Record

Team Transactions

In the News