The 2026 WNBA playoffs officially begin on Sunday, September 27, 2026, establishing the matchups and broadcast schedules for the postseason [S1]. Following a regular season that featured a notable salary cap increase from $1.5 million in 2025 to $7 million in 2026 [S3], the top eight teams have secured their positions for the championship pursuit [S1].

Official Seedings and Tournament Structure

The 2026 postseason field is anchored by the Minnesota Lynx as the No. 1 seed and the Golden State Valkyries taking the No. 2 seed [S1]. Rounding out the top eight are the Las Vegas Aces at No. 3, the Atlanta Dream at No. 4, the Washington Mystics at No. 5, the Indiana Fever at No. 6, the Dallas Wings at No. 7, and the New York Liberty at No. 8 [S1].

The playoff format utilizes distinct series lengths for each stage. The opening round is structured as a best-of-three series, advancing to a best-of-five second round, and culminating in a best-of-seven WNBA Finals [S3]. This marks the second time in league history that the Finals will stretch to a best-of-seven format [S3].

Entering the postseason bracket, the Minnesota Lynx hold the position of heavy championship favorites with +115 odds [S2]. Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Aces enter with +475 odds, followed by the Washington Mystics at +6500 and the Dallas Wings at +8000 [S2].

Opening Round Television Broadcast Schedule

Fans looking to follow the opening action on Sunday, September 27, 2026, can access broadcasts across multiple networks [S4]. Game 1 features the New York Liberty facing the Minnesota Lynx at 2 p.m. ET on ABC, immediately followed by the Indiana Fever taking on the Las Vegas Aces at 4 p.m. ET also on ABC [S4].

Later in the evening on the opening day, the schedule moves to streaming and cable networks [S4]. The Washington Mystics play the Atlanta Dream at 7 p.m. ET on Prime Video [S4]. Concluding the initial slate of games, the Dallas Wings meet the Golden State Valkyries at 9 p.m. ET on USA Network [S4].

These television assignments cover the initial matchups of the best-of-three first round [S4]. Subsequent broadcast details and dates for later games in the series depend on the progression of each respective matchup [S4].

The structure keeps all eight qualified contenders locked into their respective initial pairings as they begin their series play [S1].