The Atlanta Dream and the Golden State Valkyries are officially locked in for the 2026 WNBA Finals, and talk about a showdown. Both teams just dropped the hammer on their semifinal opponents Friday night, securing their spots with dominant sweeps. This isn’t just any Finals matchup, either; it features two franchises hungry for their first-ever WNBA championship, kicking off a best-of-seven series on October 17.
Sweeping Through the Competition
Friday night was all about clinching, with both the Dream and the Valkyries shutting down their semifinal series in three straight games. The Atlanta Dream punched their ticket by taking down the New York Liberty, sealing the deal with a tight 85-83 win in Game 3. Before that, they snagged Game 1 with a 92-82 victory and fought through an overtime thriller in Game 2, winning 101-98. Meanwhile, the Golden State Valkyries pulled off perhaps the biggest shocker, ousting the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces. They closed out the series with an 87-77 overtime win in Game 3, after earlier victories of 71-60 in Game 1 and 83-81 in Game 2. The Valkyries beating the reigning champs in a sweep? Absolutely wild.
A Season of Firsts and Records
This isn’t just Atlanta’s first Finals appearance since 2013, it’s a monumental moment for the Golden State Valkyries, who are in the championship game for the first time ever in only their second season as a franchise, having just debuted as an expansion team in 2025. Atlanta’s been flawless in the playoffs so far, rocking a perfect 5-0 record after knocking out the Washington Mystics in the first round. Golden State’s path was a bit tougher in the first round, as they defeated the Dallas Wings but needed all three games to do it. This 2026 season has been nothing short of groundbreaking on and off the court. We saw a contentious labor battle lead to a historic raise for the players, with the salary cap skyrocketing from $1.5 million in 2025 to a massive $7 million in 2026. And the players delivered, raising the bar every single week! Multiple regular-season records absolutely shattered this year: Clark became the first player in WNBA history to drop a 40-point, 10-assist game, Angel Reese broke the single-game rebounding record with an insane 26 boards, and Kelsey Mitchell passed A’ja Wilson’s single-season points record. What a year for the league!
Championship Showdown is Set
Now, the stage is set for an epic best-of-seven WNBA Finals, only the second time the league has used this extended format. Game 1 tips off on Saturday, October 17, with the Valkyries taking on the Dream. Game 2 is Monday, October 19. The series then shifts with Game 3 on Thursday, October 22, and Game 4 on Saturday, October 24. If needed, we’ll see Game 5 on Monday, October 26, Game 6 on Thursday, October 29, and a potential winner-take-all Game 7 on Saturday, October 31. This is it, folks: two teams, zero championships between them, and a chance for one of them to make history. Don’t miss a single moment!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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