WNBA playoff bracket, where to watch: Schedule, scores, TV channel as Fever, Aces join Lynx in semifinals

Indiana pulled off a major upset without Caitlin Clark to reach the semis

Sep 18, 2025

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11:54 pm ET

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2 min read

Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports

Three of the four semifinalists are set in the 2025 WNBA playoffs. The shorthanded and sixth-seeded Fever — who are missing multiple players due to season-ending injuries, including Caitlin Clark — upset and eliminated the third-seeded Atlanta Dream on Thursday night in a decisive first-round Game 3. After that, the Aces beat the Storm, 74-73, in a thrilling Game 3 to punch their own ticket to the semis.

The Fever and Aces join the Lynx in the semifinals, with one game left to determine the final participant: Mercury vs. Liberty on Friday.

That game will conclude the best-of-three first round and the best-of-five semifinals will begin on Sunday.

Minnesota, who knocked out the eighth-seeded Golden State Valkyries in the first round, entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed after being the WNBA’s most dominant team throughout the 44-game regular season. The Lynx, looking for the fifth championship in team history and their first since 2017, will have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. 

Below is a look at the first-round matchups and the full schedule for the 2025 playoffs.

WNBA playoff bracket

Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports
Here are the four first-round matchups and seeding:

No. 1 Lynx vs. No. 8 Valkyries (Minnesota wins, 2-0)No. 2 Aces vs. No. 7 Storm (Las Vegas wins, 2-1)No. 3 Dream vs. No. 6 Fever (Indiana wins, 2-1)No. 4 Mercury vs. No. 5 Liberty (Series tied, 1-1)Teams will play a best-of-three series in the first round, a best-of-five series in the semifinals, and — in a new change this year  — a best-of-seven affair in the Finals.

In 2024, the first round had a 2-1 format, which meant the higher seed got the first two games at home, while the lower seed only got to host if they made it to Game 3. This year it is a 1-1-1 format, with Games 1 and 3 hosted by the higher seed while the lower seed hosts Game 2.

All games on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 are streaming on fubo (Try for free).

First-round schedule, scores (best-of-three)All times Eastern

Sunday, Sept. 14

Game 1: Lynx 101, Valkyries 72 (Lynx lead, 1-0)Game 1: Dream 80, Fever 68  (Dream lead, 1-0)Game 1: Liberty 76, Mercury 69 OT (Liberty lead, 1-0)Game 1: Aces 102, Storm 77 (Aces lead, 1-0) Tuesday, Sept. 16

Game 2: Fever 77, Dream 60 (Series tied, 1-1)Game 2: Storm 86, Aces 83 (Series tied, 1-1)Wednesday, Sept. 17

Game 2: Mercury 86, Liberty 60 (Series tied, 1-1)Game 2: Lynx 75, Valkyries 74 (Minnesota wins, 2-0)Thursday, Sept. 18

Game 3: Fever 87, Dream 85 (Indiana wins, 2-1)Game 3: Aces 74, Storm 73 (Las Vegas wins, 2-1)Friday, Sept. 19

Game 3: No. 5 Liberty at No. 4 Mercury, 9 p.m. — ESPN2/fuboSemifinals schedule (best-of-five)Sunday, Sept. 21

Game 1: TBD vs. TBD, 3 p.m. — ABC/fuboGame 1: TBD vs. TBD, 5 p.m. — ESPN/fuboTuesday, Sept. 23

Game 2: TBD vs. TBD, 7:30 p.m. — ESPN/fubo
Game 2: TBD vs. TBD, 9:30 p.m. — ESPN/fubo
Friday, Sept. 26

Game 3: TBD vs. TBD, 7:30 p.m. — ESPN2/fubo
Game 3: TBD vs. TBD, 9:30 p.m. — ESPN2/fubo
Sunday, Sept. 28

*Game 4: TBD vs. TBD, 1 or 5 p.m. — ESPN/fubo
*Game 4: TBD vs. TBD, 3 p.m. — ABC/fubo
Tuesday, Sept. 30

*Game 5: TBD vs. TBD, TBD
*Game 5: TBD vs. TBD, TBD
Finals schedule (best-of-seven)Friday, Oct. 3

Game 1, 8 p.m. — ESPN/fubo
Sunday, Oct. 5 

Game 2, 3 p.m. — ABC/fubo
Wednesday, Oct. 8 

Game 3, 8 p.m. — ESPN/fubo
Friday, Oct. 10

Game 4, 8 p.m. — ESPN/fubo
Sunday, Oct. 12

*Game 5, 3 p.m. — ABC/fubo
Wednesday, Oct. 15

*Game 6, 8 p.m. — ESPN/fubo
Friday, Oct. 17

*Game 7, 8 p.m. — ESPN/fubo
* If necessary

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