Basketball
WNBA
2026 season
Playoffs
Format
- 8 teams seeded 1 to 8.
- First round: 1 plays 8, 2 plays 7, 3 plays 6, and 4 plays 5.
- First round: best of 3 games.
- Semifinals: best of 5 games.
- Finals: best of 7 games.
Who gets in
The top eight teams in the overall standings make the playoffs, regardless of conference. They are seeded 1 to 8 and the first round pairs 1 with 8, 2 with 7, 3 with 6 and 4 with 5.
The first round is best of 3, the semifinals best of 5, and the Finals best of 7 for the first time. The 2026 playoffs open on September 27.
Seeding
Seeds follow regular-season record, and the league's published tiebreakers settle any ties. Conference does not matter for seeding.