The New York Liberty and the Atlanta Dream are set to face off in the WNBA semifinals, with Game 1 scheduled for Sunday, October 4, 2026, at 2:00 PM ET at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. This matchup follows both teams' impressive performances in the first round of the playoffs.
The Liberty, seeded eighth, made history by sweeping the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the first round. This marked the first time in WNBA history that an eighth seed eliminated a first seed. Breanna Stewart led the charge with a standout performance, including a 34-point game in the series opener. (nbcnewyork.com)
On the other hand, the fourth-seeded Dream secured their spot in the semifinals by defeating the Washington Mystics in a 2-0 series sweep. Allisha Gray was instrumental in the Dream's success, scoring 22 points in the decisive game. (nbcnewyork.com)
The regular-season encounters between these two teams were competitive. The Dream clinched the fourth seed by winning their final two regular-season games against the Liberty, both by double-digit margins. (dream.wnba.com) However, the Liberty had previously secured a victory over the Dream earlier in the season. (nbcnewyork.com)
Fans can watch Game 1 live on ABC or stream it via the ESPN app. The full series schedule is as follows:
- Game 1: Liberty at Dream – Oct. 4, 2 p.m. ET, ABC
- Game 2: Liberty at Dream – Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
- Game 3: Dream at Liberty – Oct. 9, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2
- Game 4 (if necessary): Dream at Liberty – Oct. 11, time TBD, ABC
- Game 5 (if necessary): Liberty at Dream – Oct. 14, time TBD, ESPN
This semifinal series promises to be an exciting showdown as both teams vie for a spot in the WNBA Finals.