Game 6 of the 2026 WNBA Finals will be played at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Thursday, October 29, at 12:30 p.m. ET.
The league announced the details Monday, resolving a scheduling conflict that had left the venue and time uncertain after the Golden State Valkyries evened the best-of-seven series at 2-2 with a 67-62 win over the Atlanta Dream in Game 4 on Saturday.
Resolving the Arena Conflict
State Farm Arena (capacity roughly 17,000-plus) hosted Games 3 and 4 and delivered strong atmospheres. The Dream’s regular-season home, Gateway Center Arena, holds only about 3,500. However, the Atlanta Hawks were scheduled to host the Cleveland Cavaliers at State Farm on Thursday night.
After intensive discussions involving the WNBA, NBA, Hawks, arena, teams, and broadcast partners, the sides arranged a doubleheader solution. Game 6 tips at 12:30 p.m. ET, and the Hawks-Cavs game was pushed back (to 8 p.m. ET in one report), mirroring the earlier adjustment that allowed Game 4. This keeps a potential Game 7 on its original date of Saturday, October 31, at Chase Center in San Francisco.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said: “The sellout crowds and extraordinary atmosphere at State Farm Arena for Games 3 and 4 were a tremendous success, and we’re excited to give thousands more fans the opportunity to experience Game 6 with a championship on the line. We thank the NBA, Dream, Valkyries, Hawks, State Farm Arena and USA Network for the collaboration and flexibility that made this move possible. We look forward to delivering another unforgettable Finals experience in Atlanta.”
Series Context
Both teams are chasing their first WNBA title. The No. 2-seed Valkyries and No. 4-seed Dream entered the Finals after semifinal sweeps. Results so far:
- Game 1 (Oct. 17, Chase Center): Valkyries 68, Dream 64
- Game 2 (Oct. 19, Chase Center): Dream 79, Valkyries 65
- Game 3 (Oct. 21, State Farm Arena): Dream 97, Valkyries 71
- Game 4 (Oct. 24, State Farm Arena): Valkyries 67, Dream
Game 5 is set for Monday night (Oct. 26) at 8 p.m. ET at Chase Center. The series is tied 2-2, so Game 6 is necessary.3
The early afternoon tip creates a West Coast morning start (9:30 a.m. PT), drawing some early reaction about the timing for Valkyries fans, but it prioritizes the larger Atlanta venue and preserves the Game 7 window.
How to Watch
Broadcast plans for the series have featured USA Network (with CNBC simulcasts) and Peacock streaming for later games, alongside NBC for select contests. Fans should check official listings for any updates tied to the time change.
The move continues the league’s efforts this postseason to maximize the stage for a high-profile Finals matchup between two first-time finalists, building on record attendance and viewership trends. A winner could be decided as early as Thursday if one team takes a 3-2 series lead and closes it out, or the series could return to San Francisco for Game 7 on Halloween.