There will be 44 regular season games now. And the Finals are now a Best of 7 series.
The 2025 WNBA season signals a major turning point for the league, with significant changes that reflect its rapid growth and evolving competitive landscape. Here is what the Washington Mystics and all other teams will face this summer.
Expansion and Schedule
The Golden State Valkyries join as the WNBA’s 13th franchise, marking the league’s first expansion since 2008. The regular season will run from May 16 to September 11, 2025. Each team will play a record-high 44 regular-season games—22 at home and 22 on the road—up from 40 games in previous seasons.
WNBA regular seasons were just 34 games for most of the 2000s and 2010s.
Playoff Format Updates
The playoff structure has also evolved. The first round remains a best-of-three series but now follows a 1-1-1 format, ensuring both teams host at least one game. The semifinals will continue as best-of-five series.
The WNBA Finals have been expanded to a best-of-seven series, adopting a 2-2-1-1-1 format in line with the NBA Finals we see in June.
Let’s be real and say that I don’t think the Mystics will make the playoffs this year. But when they make them again, the format will be longer than in the past.
Commissioner’s Cup
The fifth annual Commissioner’s Cup returns as the league’s in-season tournament. A 17-day window in June will feature designated regular-season games that count toward Cup standings. The top teams from each conference will face off in a single championship game, expected to be held in late June or early July.