In the 2024 WNBA season, eight of the league’s twelve teams will qualify for the postseason when the regular season ends on September 19th. The 2024 WNBA playoffs consist of a multi-round format that is structured to highlight the teams with the best records in the standings as they advance toward the WNBA Finals. For the most part, seven teams have pretty much locked in their spot:
- New York Liberty
- Minnesota Lynx
- Connecticut Sun
- Las Vegas Aces
- Seattle Storm
- Indiana Fever
- Phoenix Mercury
Right now the Chicago Sky and Atlanta Dream are battling for the final spot with the Dallas Wings, Washington Mystics, and Los Angeles Sparks eliminated from the postseason.
WNBA Playoff Schedule, Format
As of this post the playoff schedule hasn’t been released by the WNBA, but it will likely started within a few days after the season ends on Thursday, September 19, 2024.
The First Round of the WNBA Playoffs is a best-of-three series, allowing teams to face off in a high-stakes environment right from the start. The team to win two games advances. Under the current WNBA Playoff format, the first two games of each best-of-three series are hosted by the higher-seeded team, while the lower seed hosts Game 3 if necessary. The semifinals and finals also follow a 2-2-1 format, where the higher seed has the advantage of hosting the pivotal Game 5 if the series goes the distance.
Following the First Round are the WNBA Semifinals and the WNBA Finals follow a best-of-five format, with the first team to win three games moving on to the next round or claiming the championship.
| Season | Champion | Runner Up | Finals MVP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Las Vegas Aces | New York Liberty | A’ja Wilson |
| 2022 | Las Vegas Aces | Connecticut Sun | Chelsea Gray |
| 2021 | Chicago Sky | Phoenix Mercury | Kahleah Copper |
| 2020 | Seattle Storm | Las Vegas Aces | Breanna Stewart |
| 2019 | Washington Mystics | Connecticut Sun | Emma Meesseman |
| 2018 | Seattle Storm | Washington Mystics | Breanna Stewart |
| 2017 | Minnesota Lynx | Los Angeles Sparks | Sylvia Fowles |
| 2016 | Los Angeles Sparks | Minnesota Lynx | Candace Parker |
| 2015 | Minnesota Lynx | Indiana Fever | Sylvia Fowles |
This playoff structure is relatively new, implemented in 2021, reflecting how the WNBA has evolved the competition format based on the number of teams in the league, scheduling and overall interest.
Previously, the WNBA followed a single-elimination format for the first two rounds, with the top four teams getting byes into later rounds. The changes were made to promote more competitive play and ensure that higher-seeded teams are rewarded for their regular-season performance.
Since the league’s introduction of this new Playoff format, it has resulted in exciting, more balanced matchups, providing fans with extended series and a more dynamic playoff experience. It aligns the WNBA playoffs closer to the formats used by the NBA and other professional leagues, enhancing viewership and competitiveness across the board. With interest in the league at an record high thanks to Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, look for the 2024 WNBA Playoffs to break attendance records.
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