The 2026 WNBA regular season concluded on September 24 with dramatic standings shifts as the Minnesota Lynx claimed the top overall seed and playoff pairings were locked across the league, setting up an eight-team postseason bracket beginning Sunday, September 27.
September 24 Regular Season Finale and Seeding
The WNBA’s 30th regular season wrapped up with a flurry of late-night drama as teams finalized their positions on the final day of competition. While all eight postseason berths had been decided weeks prior, the battle for playoff seeding went down to the final minutes across the league. Action on Thursday, Sept. 24 brought an end to the WNBA’s 30th regular season, highlighted by decisive blowout victories from the Minnesota Lynx and Las Vegas Aces alongside a stunning 16-point second-half comeback engineered by the Golden State Valkyries against the Los Angeles Sparks. Securing the No. 2 position, the Valkyries rallied from a 10-point deficit with only two-and-a-half minutes remaining to defeat the Los Angeles Sparks 76-75.
The Golden State Valkyries secured the No. 2 seed by overcoming a 16-point deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Sparks 76–75 on September 24. That comeback win capped a chaotic finish that also saw the Las Vegas Aces grab the No. 3 seed and the Washington Mystics jump to the No. 5 spot following a victory over the Chicago Sky and an Indiana Fever loss, according to USA Today. The Dream, Wings and Liberty all locked their seeds in on Wednesday night, while the Minnesota Lynx clinched the No. 1 overall seed on Tuesday. The top four seeds secured home-court advantage in the first round, while the Lynx, as the No. 1 seed, will own home-court throughout the playoffs. The 2026 WNBA playoffs begin on Sunday, Sept. 27 with four games to tip off the first round.
First-Round Matchups and Postseason Format
The opening round features four best-of-three series using a 1-1-1 format. First round pairings are locked in. New York Liberty will square off against the top-seeded Lynx, the Dallas Wings will meet the Valkyries, the Indiana Fever will challenge the Aces, and the Washington Mystics will face the Atlanta Dream.
No. 1 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 8 New York Liberty: A rematch of the 2024 Finals, featuring a top-seeded Lynx squad.
No. 2 Golden State Valkyries vs. No. 7 Dallas Wings: The Valkyries squad matching up against a Dallas team.
No. 3 Las Vegas Aces vs. No. 6 Indiana Fever: The defending champions squaring off against an Indiana team.
No. 4 Atlanta Dream vs. No. 5 Washington Mystics: Atlanta going head-to-head with the Washington Mystics.
Championship Contenders and Playoff Odds
BetMGM provided the following championship odds for each contender as of 1 a.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 25:
Minnesota Lynx +100. Anchored by Rookie of the Year front-runner Olivia Miles alongside former Defensive Player of the Year Napheesa Collier, the Lynx stand out as one of the circuit’s most balanced rosters, maintaining top-five status across scoring, defense, rebounding, assists, steals, blocks, and 3-point shooting accuracy. Despite four-time All-WNBA selection Napheesa Collier missing two-thirds of the season, Minnesota has been the best team all year. Cheryl Reeve brings unprecedented leadership to Minnesota’s sideline as the most successful head coach in league history, boasting a record-tying four championships, the all-time record for regular-season wins, and the most playoff victories of any coach.
Las Vegas Aces +575. Powered by four-time MVP A’ja Wilson, the reigning champs of the WNBA are seeking another title.
Draft Lottery Stakes at the Bottom of the Standings
While eight teams turn their focus to the championship chase, the bottom of the league settled critical odds for the No. 1 pick in the 2027 WNBA Draft, which are still up for grabs.
