The game
The 2026 Official Rules say all periods of regulation play are ten minutes, and that overtime periods are five minutes. Each team consists of five players. WNBA.com’s FAQ says a quarter lasts 10 minutes.
WNBA
WNBA
Fifteen clubs, a 44-game regular season, and an eight-team playoff that ends with the WNBA Finals.
History · Teams · Playoffs · WNBA Finals · Contact
A short history
WNBA.com’s History page says that on April 24, 1996, the NBA Board of Governors approved the Women’s National Basketball Association, to begin play in June 1997. The same page says 2026 is the league’s 30th season.
WNBA.com’s history timeline says the first game was the New York Liberty at the Los Angeles Sparks on June 21, 1997, at the Great Western Forum. New York won 67–57.
The History page says the Las Vegas Aces won the 2025 championship, defeating the Phoenix Mercury in four games.
Current teams
15 clubs from the published list. Open a club for its desk. Clubs from the WNBA team file on this desk.
Eastern Conference
Playoffs
The 2026 schedule release sets the regular season from Friday, May 8, to Thursday, September 24. Each of the 15 clubs plays 44 games, 22 home and 22 on the road. The Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo are the two new clubs.
The playoffs tip off Sunday, September 27. First-round pairings are 1–8, 2–7, 3–6, and 4–5.
WNBA.com’s 2026 postseason FAQ, as cited on Sports in 60’s WNBA guide, sets the first round as best-of-three (1-1-1), the semifinals as best-of-five (2-2-1), and the Finals as best-of-seven (2-2-1-1-1). In 2026 the first round starts September 27, the semifinals October 4, and Finals Game 1 October 17. A Game 7, if needed, would be October 31.
WNBA Finals
WNBA.com’s 2026 schedule release says the playoffs have three rounds. The first round is best-of-three among the top eight clubs regardless of conference. Winners move to a best-of-five semifinal, then a best-of-seven Finals.
The same page says the sixth annual WNBA Commissioner’s Cup is a midseason tournament inside the regular-season schedule. Cup games still count in the standings. The Cup champion is separate from the Finals champion.
Contact
League office
WNBA Enterprises, LLC
645 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10022
wnba.com
How it works
The shot clock
The 2026 rule book says the shot clock starts at 24 seconds unless Rule 7 provides otherwise. WNBA.com’s FAQ says the shot clock is 24 seconds, the same as the NBA.
Who gets in
The schedule release seeds the playoffs from the top eight records, regardless of conference. Conferences are for the regular-season schedule and the Commissioner’s Cup.
The clubs
The team file on this site lists seven Eastern clubs and eight Western clubs for 2026.
Sources
WNBA FAQ (quarters and shot clock)