The 2026 WNBA season is about to begin! See how to stream it here
The 2026 WNBA season is about to begin! See how to stream it here
We’ll give you the low-down on our favorite ways to stream this year’s WNBA campaign.
The NBA season is moving through its playoffs, but there’s good news for basketball fans who are afraid of missing roundball action when the postseason ends: the 2026 WNBA season begins on Friday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m. ET! Fans can watch games on ABC and ESPN, CBS, ION, NBA TV, NBC, Prime Video, and USA Network. There are many ways to watch WNBA games this season, but if you want to stream as many as possible on a single platform, we recommend using a subscription to YouTube TV.
How to watch the 2026 WNBA season
- When: Starts Friday, May 8 at 7:30 p.m. ET
- TV: ABC, CBS, ESPN, ION, NBA TV, NBC, Prime Video, and USA Network
- Stream: Watch with a subscription to YouTube TV
- From anywhere: Watch with a subscription to a VPN.
Everything you need to know about the 2026 WNBA season
What is the schedule of 2026 WNBA games?
ABC and ESPN
ABC and ESPN will combine to air 30 WNBA games this season. See those games in the schedule below:
| Date | Time (ET) | Game | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, May 9 | 1 p.m. | Dallas Wings vs. Indiana Fever | ABC |
| Saturday, May 9 | 3:30 p.m. | Phoenix Mercury vs. Las Vegas Aces | ABC |
| Saturday, June 6 | 1 p.m. | Seattle Storm vs. Minnesota Lynx | ABC |
| Saturday, June 6 | 3 p.m. | Golden State Valkyries vs. Las Vegas Aces | ABC |
| Tuesday, June 9 | 7 p.m. | Atlanta Dream vs. Chicago Sky | ESPN |
| Saturday, June 20 | 1 p.m. | Indiana Fever vs. Atlanta Dream | ABC |
| Saturday, June 20 | 3 p.m. | Seattle Storm vs. Phoenix Mercury | ABC |
| Sunday, June 21 | 8 p.m. | New York Liberty vs. Los Angeles Sparks | ESPN |
| Sunday, June 28 | 7 p.m. | New York Liberty vs. Golden State Valkyries | ESPN |
| Sunday, July 5 | 7 p.m. | Indiana Fever vs. Las Vegas Aces | ESPN |
| Tuesday, July 7 | 8 p.m. | Dallas Wings vs. New York Liberty | ESPN |
| Saturday, July 11 | 1 p.m. | New York Liberty vs. Minnesota Lynx | ABC |
| Sunday, July 12 | 7 p.m. | Chicago Sky vs. Dallas Wings | ESPN |
| Sunday, July 19 | 1 p.m. | Los Angeles Sparks vs. Dallas Wings | ABC |
| Sunday, July 19 | 7 p.m. | Connecticut Sun vs. Phoenix Mercury | ESPN |
| Tuesday, July 28 | 9:30 p.m. | Indiana Fever vs. Seattle Storm | ESPN |
| Saturday, Aug. 1 | 3 p.m. | New York Liberty vs. Phoenix Mercury | ABC |
| Sunday, Aug. 2 | 1 p.m. | Indiana Fever vs. Minnesota Lynx | ABC |
| Sunday, Aug. 2 | 7 p.m. | Connecticut Sun vs. Dallas Wings | ESPN |
| Saturday, Aug. 8 | 3:30 p.m. | Indiana Fever vs. Chicago Sky | ABC |
| Sunday, Aug. 9 | 12:30 p.m. | Las Vegas Aces vs. New York Liberty | ABC |
| Sunday, Aug. 9 | 7 p.m. | Golden State Valkyries vs. Los Angeles Sparks | ESPN |
| Tuesday, Aug. 11 | 7:30 p.m. | New York Liberty vs. Indiana Fever | ESPN |
| Sunday, Aug. 16 | 5 p.m. | Indiana Fever vs. Atlanta Dream | ESPN |
| Sunday, Aug. 16 | 7 p.m. | Portland Fire vs. Phoenix Mercury | ESPN |
| Tuesday, Aug. 18 | 7 p.m. | Indiana Fever vs. Toronto Tempo | ESPN |
| Tuesday, Aug. 18 | 9 p.m. | New York Liberty vs. Chicago Sky | ESPN |
| Tuesday, Sept. 22 | 8 p.m. | Minnesota Lynx vs. Indiana Fever | ESPN |
| Tuesday, Sept. 22 | 10 p.m. | Los Angeles Sparks vs. Las Vegas Aces | ESPN |
NBC, NBC Sports Network, and Peacock
Any 2026 WNBA games on Peacock will be available to stream on NBC Sports Network live.
USA Network
CBS
| Date | Time (ET) | Game | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, May 23 | 1 p.m. | Minnesota Lynx vs. Chicago Sky | CBS |
| Saturday, May 23 | 8 p.m. | Los Angeles Sparks vs. Las Vegas Aces | CBS |
| Saturday, May 30 | 8 p.m. | Indiana Fever vs. Portland Fire | CBS |
| Saturday, June 6 | 8 p.m. | Indiana Fever vs. New York Liberty | CBS |
| Saturday, June 13 | 8 p.m. | Minnesota Lynx vs. Las Vegas Aces | CBS |
| Saturday, June 20 | 8 p.m. | Chicago Sky vs. Dallas Wings | CBS |
| Sunday, June 21 | 4 p.m. | Golden State Valkyries vs. Las Vegas Aces | CBS |
| Saturday, June 27 | 2 p.m. | Phoenix Mercury vs. Toronto Tempo | CBS |
| Saturday, June 27 | 8 p.m. | Los Angeles Sparks vs. Indiana Fever | CBS |
| Sunday, June 28 | 2 p.m. | Minnesota Lynx vs. Dallas Wings | CBS |
| Sunday, June 28 | 4 p.m. | Las Vegas Aces vs. Chicago Sky | CBS |
| Sunday, July 4 | 1 p.m. | Golden State Valkyries vs. Atlanta Dream | CBS |
| Saturday, July 11 | 4 p.m. | Portland Fire vs. Atlanta Dream | CBS |
| Saturday, July 18 | 8 p.m. | New York Liberty vs. Indiana Fever | CBS |
| Saturday, July 19 | 4 p.m. | Chicago Sky vs. Atlanta Dream | CBS |
| Saturday, Aug. 1 | 1 p.m. | Las Vegas Aces vs. Chicago Sky | CBS |
| Saturday, Aug. 8 | 1 p.m. | Las Vegas Aces vs. Minnesota Lynx | CBS |
| Saturday, Aug. 15 | 8 p.m. | Minnesota Lynx vs. Las Vegas Aces | CBS |
| Saturday, Aug. 29 | 1 p.m. | Chicago Sky vs. New York Liberty | CBS |
| Saturday, Sept. 19 | 1 p.m. | Phoenix Mercury vs. Dallas Wings | CBS |
Prime Video
Ion
Ion will present 50 WNBA games throughout the season, with national, regional, and local broadcasts available. To check the complete schedule of Ion’s WNBA coverage in 2026, click here.
Why do we recommend watching the 2026 WNBA season on YouTube TV?
A subscription to YouTube TV won’t get you 100% of this year’s WNBA games; you’ll still need to add Prime Video to watch them all, but YouTube TV’s core channel package has all the channels you’ll need to watch any games appearing on linear TV channels — including ION, which is not found in many live TV streaming packages.
YouTube TV is also the first live TV streamer to add NBC Sports Network, unlocking any WNBA games on Peacock this season without compelling customers to subscribe to that streamer.
YouTube TV offers a free trial of between two and 21 days, depending on factors like what time of month you subscribe. Once the trial ends, YouTube TV normally costs $83 per month; for a limited time, however, new customers can get its core channel package for $67 per month for their first three months of service.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 60 channels for $82.99/month. This plan includes local channels 32 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs) in select markets. The base plan includes more than 100 live channels, including major broadcast networks like ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, as well as popular cable channels such as ESPN, CNN, FX, USA Network, and TNT. Local channels are included in most markets, making YouTube TV a full replacement for traditional cable for many viewers.
Watch a preview of the 2026 WNBA season
Can you watch the 2026 WNBA season for free?
Certainly not the whole season, which will stretch on for several months. However, there are some services that carry a selection of channels with WNBA games, and also offer free trials.
DIRECTV carries ABC, CBS, ESPN, NBA Network, NBC, and USA Network in its MySports Genre Pack. This plan costs $65 per month normally, and includes a five-day free trial for new subscribers.
Hulu + Live TV carries many of the same networks and includes a three-day free trial for new subscribers. After the tirial, its plan costs $90 per month.
Fubo’s free trial lasts between one and seven days, depending on several factors. Once the trial ends, Fubo Sports costs $56 per month.
What are all the services you can use to watch the 2026 WNBA season?
You can watch games from the 2026 WNBA season on DIRECTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, and Youtube TV. Of these various choices, however, we recommend YouTube TV most highly, since it has the highest concentration of channels that offer WNBA games.
The 30 games appearing on Prime Video will be available exclusively on that streamer in the 2026 season. Prime Video plans start at $9 per month.
Peacock will stream 12 Monday matchups during the regular season, as well as the WNBA Finals. All games will also appear on NBC or USA Network. Peacock subscriptions, including live sports, start at $11 per month.
Paramount+ Premium customers can stream all 2026 WNBA games appearing on CBS. Paramount+ Premium costs $14 per month.
Any WNBA games appearing on ABC or ESPN channels will be available to stream on ESPN Unlimited, with prices starting at $30 per month.
| DIRECTV | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Free Trial | Save with Sling | Free Trial | |||||
| $20.99 | $9.99 | $28.99 | $25 | $19.99 | $29.99 | $45.99 | $45.99 | $64.99 | ||
| ABC | + $24 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| CBS | + $24 | + $59 | + $61 | - | - | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| ESPN | + $24 | + $59 | + $61 | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| Ion | + $39 | + $59 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ✓ | |
| NBA TV | + $15 | + $11 | - | - | - | - | + $11 | + $11 | ✓ | |
| NBC | + $19 | + $11 | + $61 | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| USA Network | + $24 | - | + $61 | - | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
How to watch the 2026 WNBA season from anywhere
If you’ll be away from home and can’t watch the 2026 WNBA season as you normally would, you can still catch all of the action no matter where you are in the world with a VPN. A VPN can be used on your phone, tablet, or computer and make you appear to be back home — even when you’re not — making sure you feel at home no matter where you are. A VPN is a safe and secure way to stay protected online while streaming your favorite sports, movies, and shows on the go. Keep in mind that you will still need to be subscribed to a live TV streaming service like YouTube TV in order to stream the season with a VPN.
NordVPN is one of the best providers around, at one of the best prices. Currently, you can get two full years of protection for just $3.59 per month — plus you’ll get three extra months FREE. A high-speed VPN with best-in-class security that can be used on up to 10 devices at once — what more could you ask for? Simply sign up, install the software on your device of choice, and start streaming just as you would back home. It couldn’t be easier!
While NordVPN is our recommendation for the best VPN to use while you are traveling, there are a number of other high-quality options available depending on what you are looking for.
- Best Features: ExpressVPN | Starting at $5 per month
- Best Budget Option: Surfshark | Starting at $2.50 per month
- Best Free Option: Proton VPN | Free plan available