WNBA playoffs preview, full schedule & how to watch 

The WNBA playoffs start on Sunday, 22 September. Considering how good the WNBA season was, with rivalries emerging, the record book being rewritten and players like A’ja Wilson hitting new heights, these playoffs will be can’t-miss.

These will also be the final WNBA playoffs in a 12-team league. In 2025, the Golden State Valkyries will join the league, and a yet-to-be-named Canadian team will be added in 2026.

To get you ready for the postseason, we have a look at each team who has secured their playoff spot. Since the season won’t end until Thursday, 19 September, the final berth and playoff match-ups are still being decided.

New York Liberty

The 2023 Liberty lost to the Las Vegas Aces, 3-1, in the WNBA Finals. In fact, despite being one of the founding franchises of the WNBA, the Liberty hasn’t won a WNBA title. The Liberty have put that disappointment behind them in 2024 as they have found ways to consistently win. They’ve only lost three games since the Olympic break, even after having four players—Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu for the U.S. and Nyara Sabally and Leonie Fiebich for Germany, as well as head coach Sandy Brondello (Australia)—in Paris. They will have home court advantage throughout the playoffs. In addition to the Olympians, keep an eye out for Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, the key to the Liberty’s success on defense.

Minnesota Lynx

The Lynx aren’t like other teams at the top of the WNBA. While Napheesa Collier is a two-time Olympic gold medallist and bonafide superstar, she isn’t surrounded by other stars, like in New York and Las Vegas. They don’t have tons of playoff experience together, like the Sun. What they do have is players who can shoot the lights out of the building, like Kayla McBride, players who are dogs on defense, like Courtney Williams and Alanna Smith (a bronze medalist in Paris with Australia) and a coach who has led teams to four WNBA championships and an Olympic gold medal in Cheryl Reeve. They may not be the splashy team, but they have figured out how to win in every circumstance.

Connecticut Sun

The Sun have gone deep into the WNBA playoffs over the past five years, making it to the semifinals or finals, but have not been able to win the championship. They have chemistry and know each other so well. With Brionna Jones and Olympic gold medallist Alyssa Thomas in the post, DeWanna Bonnar scoring 15.3 points per game, and DiJonai Carrington playing some of the best defense in the league, the Sun should not be overlooked.

Las Vegas Aces

The Aces won the last two WNBA championships. With six Olympians on the squad—A'ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young (USA), Megan Gustafson (Spain) and Tiffany Hayes (Azerbaijan 3x3)—the team has the firepower and experience. The season has been far from perfect as they have dealt with injuries to some of its best players. But the unquestionable bright spot has been Wilson, who on Sunday became the first person to score more than 1,000 points in a WNBA season. She is capable of shouldering most of the load for her team, but in a playoff run, the other stars will have to step up to take some of the weight off of Wilson.

Seattle Storm

After the 2022 season, Sue Bird retired and Breanna Stewart headed to New York. Just a few years removed from a WNBA title, two-time Olympic gold medallist Jewell Loyd was left to carry the offensive load for her team. Seattle added Nneka Ogwumike, a former WNBA MVP and 2020 Olympic gold medallist Skylar Diggins-Smith. It took time for the new pieces to gel with other Storm players, including Ezi Magbegor and Sami Whitcomb – bronze medallists in Paris for Australia – but the team found its footing. They took another stride when they added Gabby Williams after she helped France win silver in Paris, creating a team that could play well above their seed in the playoffs.

Indiana Fever

For the past two seasons, the Fever were slowly building into a contender. First they drafted NaLyssa Smith, then made Christie Sides their coach, then drafted Aliyah Boston. Together with All-Star Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana was slowly becoming a team that could expect to win. Drafting Caitlin Clark with the number one pick earlier this year made the Fever, finally, into that team. They are now a team that can win every game they start. They lack experience, which can be an Achilles’ heel in the playoffs, but this year can be a great building block for a dynasty in the future.

Phoenix Mercury

Last year’s Mercury struggled with injuries and a midseason coaching change, and failed to make the playoffs. In the offseason, they added dynamic playmaker Kahleah Copper, an Olympic gold medallist, and experienced point guard Natasha Cloud. This energized the Mercury, and especially Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner, Olympic stars who are closer to the end of their careers than the beginning.

Washington Mystics/Chicago Sky/Atlanta Dream

Here is where things get interesting. Of the WNBA’s 12 teams, only the Dallas Wings and the Los Angeles Sparks have been eliminated from the postseason. The Sky, Dream and Mystics are tied in the eighth and final spot. The games this week will decide which team gets in. Whoever makes it will have to play New York on the road and try to steal at least one road game from them.

WNBA post season schedule and playoff format

The playoffs are an eight-team tournament lasting three rounds, with the top seed facing the bottom seed in the first round, the second seed facing the seventh seed, and so on. The top four seeds will have home court advantage in the first round, which is a best of three series. The semifinals and finals are a best of five series.

The match-ups, locations and TV stations will be announced on Friday. Check WNBA.com for updates.

First Round

Sunday, September 22:

Matchup #1, Game 1
Matchup #2, Game 1
Matchup #3, Game 1
Matchup #4, Game 1

Tuesday, September 24

Matchup #1, Game 2
Matchup #2, Game 2

Wednesday, September 25

Matchup #3, Game 2
Matchup #4, Game 2

Thursday, September 26

Matchup #1, Game 3*
Matchup #2, Game 3*

Friday, September 27

Matchup #3, Game 3*
Matchup #4, Game 3*

Semi-Finals

Sunday, September 29

Matchup #1, Game 1
Matchup #2, Game 1

Tuesday, October 1

Matchup #1, Game 2
Matchup #2, Game 2

Friday, October 4

Matchup #1, Game 3
Matchup #2, Game 3

Sunday, October 6

Matchup #1, Game 4*
Matchup #2, Game 4*

Tuesday, October 8

Matchup #1, Game 5*
Matchup #2, Game 5*

WNBA Finals

Thursday, October 10

Game 1

Sunday, October 13

Game 2

Wednesday, October 16

Game 3

Friday, October 18

Game 4*

Sunday, October 20

Game 5*

*If necessary

How to watch the WNBA postseason live

The WNBA playoffs will air on several networks within the U.S. The broadcasters will be announced when the league announces the playoff match-ups.