The 2025 WNBA Playoffs have finally arrived, bringing with them intense, high-stakes matchups right from the opening tip. Thanks to massive viewership numbers from last year’s postseason, fans will get to see every game in primetime.
With a rookie team making a Cinderella run, a defending champion fighting from a lower seed, and old rivalries reigniting, this postseason is packed with drama. One key first-round matchup will even get a national spotlight on ABC.
How Can You Watch the 2025 WNBA Playoffs?
The WNBA postseason kicks off with a powerful slate of first-round games starting Sunday, September 14. In the best-of-three series format, every possession matters. For fans looking to catch all the action, we’ve created a quick rundown of how and where to watch every game.
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To start, the 2025 WNBA Playoffs will be broadcast across the ESPN networks, which include ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and ABC.
Several streaming services are available for cord-cutters with internet access. DirecTV offers its MySportsGenre package for $59.99 monthly. Fubo is another solid option, with its Sports+News package priced at $60.99, an increase from its initial $45.99 monthly price.
Sling subscribers with the Orange + Blue package, starting at $60.99 monthly, can also view games on ESPN and ABC. Additionally, streamers can watch the games on Hulu’s Live TV package for about $81.99 a month after a three-day trial. YouTube also returns as a league partner for select games.
What Are the Key Matchups in the First Round?
The opening day features four compelling games. The action began with the Golden State Valkyries, who made the playoffs in their first year of existence as the eighth seed, taking on Napheesa Collier and the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx on ESPN.
The Lynx are determined to return to championship form after a heartbreaking loss to the New York Liberty in last year’s finals. Their captain, Collier, has been on a tear this season, even winning her first WNBA All-Star Game MVP award. Minnesota took Game 1 101-72.
Next, the sixth-seeded Indiana Fever face the third-seeded Atlanta Dream at 3 p.m. ET on ABC. The Fever will be without Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham due to injury.
They now face a formidable Atlanta team featuring Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, and veteran Brittney Griner, who are all focused on securing the Dream’s first playoff series win since 2016. Indiana will rely on forward Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston to carry the team. As of the time of publish, Atlanta leads Indiana 40-33 at halftime.
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The third game of the day heats things up as the defending champion New York Liberty, playing as the fifth seed, go on the road to face the fourth-seeded Phoenix Mercury. Phoenix has been powered by the veteran play of Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner, with Kahleah Copper and Satou Sabally adding extra firepower.
They will battle a Liberty team that has endured an up-and-down season due to injuries but remains dangerous with Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, and recent addition Natasha Cloud. That game tips off at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The final game of the night, also on ESPN at 10 p.m. ET, revives an old rivalry between the seventh-seeded Seattle Storm and the Las Vegas Aces, led by reigning two-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson.
The Aces have been phenomenal, closing out the regular season with 16 straight victories after a rocky start to the season. Adding to the intrigue, Storm guard Jewell Loyd will face her former team after requesting a trade last offseason.
What Is the Schedule for the Rest of the First Round?
The remaining games in each series will be spread throughout the week. On Tuesday, September 16, Game 2 between the Dream and the Fever will air at 7:30 p.m. ET, and Game 2 between the Storm and the Aces at 9:30 p.m. ET, with both games on ESPN. If a third game is needed, both series will play on Thursday, September 18, simultaneously.
The schedule is similar for the Liberty-Mercury and Valkyries-Lynx series. Their respective Game 2s will air on Wednesday, September 17. New York and Phoenix will play at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN, while Minnesota and Golden State will follow at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN.
If necessary, Game 3 for both series will move to ESPN2. The Valkyries and Lynx will play first, followed by the Liberty and Mercury in the nightcap.
