The 2026 WNBA season concluded with the playoff bracket finalized following Thursday night’s action in which the Golden State Valkyries defeated the Los Angeles Sparks to claim the No. 2 seeding. The Valkyries overcame a 16-point deficit in what marked Nneka Ogwumike’s farewell game.
The first-round matchups feature eight teams across the league without conference-based divisions. The No. 1 Minnesota Lynx will face the No. 8 New York Liberty in a rematch of the 2024 WNBA Finals. The No. 2 Valkyries will take on the No. 7 Dallas Wings, the No. 3 Las Vegas Aces will defend their title against the No. 6 Indiana Fever, and the No. 4 Atlanta Dream will host the No. 5 Washington Mystics. All first-round series are best-of-three contests, with higher seeds hosting Games 1 and 3 if necessary, while lower seeds host Game 2.
The season itself has been marked by significant developments including a landmark labor agreement that raised the salary cap from $1.5 million in 2025 to $7 million in 2026, the addition of two expansion franchises, and exceptional individual performances. Notable records set during the season include Kelsey Mitchell breaking A’ja Wilson’s single-season scoring mark, Olivia Miles surpassing Caitlin Clark’s rookie scoring record, Clark becoming the first player to record a 40-point, 10-assist game, Angel Reese setting a single-game rebounding record with 26, and Marina Mabrey tying the single-game scoring record with 53 points.
Playoff action begins Sunday with Game 1 matchups across all four series. The second round features best-of-five series, and the Finals will be contested as a best-of-seven series for only the second time in league history.
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