The NBA playoffs ended in June with the New York Knicks winning the championship for the first time in more than 50 years. Now it’s time for the WNBA to make history with the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries, the last teams standing. No matter which squad wins, it will be the first championship in each team’s history.
If you’re fresh off the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever have been eliminated, but there is still plenty of talent on the court. The Valkyries are currently in the lead with one win, but we still have at least three more games to go. Here’s how you can catch the action live, and even for free
How to Watch the 2026 WNBA Finals
This year’s playoff schedule has been tricky, but it’s more straightforward for the WNBA finals. The games will air on NBC, USA, and Peacock, which the following streaming services offer:
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DirecTV: DirecTV’s MySports base pack costs $45 per month for the first six months and offers ABC, ESPN, NBC, and USA.
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Fubo: Fubo’s Sports plan costs $45.99 for the first month to watch games broadcast on ABC, ESPN, NBC, and NBCSN.
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Hulu: For $90 per month, Hulu + Live TV lets you watch games on ABC, ESPN, NBC, and USA.
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Peacock: To watch the WNBA Finals, you’ll need to pay $12.99 per month for live sports streaming with Peacock Premium.
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YouTube TV: Though the standard plan for YouTube TV costs $83 per month, you can actually now pay for the cheaper $65 Sports package to see all games on ABC, ESPN, NBC, NBCSN, and USA.
How to Watch the Atlanta Dream vs. the Golden State Valkyries For Free
If you don’t have a streaming subscription, you may be able to catch some of the action without spending a dime by signing up for a free video streaming trial. Here are your options:
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2026 WNBA Finals Game Schedule
The semifinals saw the Dream defeat the Liberty and the Valkyries beat the Aces. Now, Atlanta and Golden State will meet in the WNBA Finals. Whoever is the first to win four games will be crowned the winner.
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WNBA Finals Schedule
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Game 2: Monday, October 19 @ 8:00 p.m. ET – USA/Peacock/CNBC
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Game 3: Thursday, October 22 @ 8:00 p.m. ET – USA/Peacock/CNBC
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Game 4: Saturday, October 24 @ 3:30 p.m. ET – NBC/Peacock
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Game 5: Monday, October 26 @ 8:00 p.m. ET – USA/Peacock/CNBC
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Game 6: Thursday, October 29 @ 8:00 p.m. ET – USA/Peacock/CNBC
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Game 7: Saturday, October 31 @ 8:00 p.m. ET – USA/Peacock/CNBC
Upgrade Your Streaming Experience
If you decide to watch the WNBA Playoffs, there’s still time to get a big-screen television for viewing this beautiful game. Pro tip: Turn on your TV’s motion-smoothing option for the best picture while watching sports. Just remember to turn it off before watching other TV shows and movies to avoid the awful “soap opera” effect.
About Our Expert
Jason Cohen
Senior Editor
Experience
As PCMag’s editor of how to content, I have to cover a wide variety of topics and also make our stories accessible to everyday users. Considering my history as a technical writer, copywriter, and all-around freelancer covering baseball, comics, and more at various outlets, I am used to making myself into an expert.
I believe tech corporations are bad, but you might as well know how to use technology in everyday life. Want more how to content delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the tips and tricks newsletter that I curate three times a week.
My job as how-to guru means I use just about every gadget under the sun, so I can figure out how everything works. I work from a Lenovo ThinkPad running Windows 11, but also have a very large Dell Inspiron 17 3000 and Apple silicon MacBook. I have a Google Pixel 6a for personal use and use a Galaxy Z Flip 4 for additional Samsung-related testing. For iOS coverage, an iPhone 13 mini works like a charm, though it’s already becoming a little long in the tooth.
My desktop situation includes a dual monitor setup with a modest Acer monitor. I also use a Logitech vertical mouse (who can use these ThinkPad trackpads) and a Havit keyboard (my first mechanical keyboard; I love it but my wife hates it!). I’m a recent convert from wired headphones; I have Anker Soundcore Liberty Air wireless earbuds for personal use and have taken to the Sennheiser HD 450BT headphones for work.
Whenever I have a second to myself, I’m probably gaming on my Nintendo Switch 2, Steam Deck, or Xbox Series S. I also still have a bunch of classic consoles lying around as well.
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