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The 2026 WNBA Finals opened Saturday 17 October at Chase Center. The Golden State Valkyries beat the Atlanta Dream 68-64 in Game 1 — an expansion team in its first-ever season taking the opening game of the Finals. Gabby Williams led all scorers with 26 points, including the key late free throws that put the Valkyries ahead for good. The Dream got 20 from Angel Reese but couldn’t close the gap. The series heads to Oakland for Game 2 on Monday 19 October. Three Australians remain alive in the Finals.
Game 1 — Valkyries 68, Dream 64
A grinding, defensive Finals opener. Both teams shot poorly from the field, both played physical defence. The Valkyries kept pulling ahead; Atlanta kept clawing back. Gabby Williams’s 26 points carried Golden State, including the clutch free throws down the stretch. Angel Reese’s 20 points and double-digit rebounds led the Dream. Rhyne Howard added support for Atlanta.
Isobel Borlase — the South Australian guard — played rotation minutes for the Dream. Her first Finals appearance in a WNBA career now extending into its postseason-starring era.
Why Golden State’s run is extraordinary
The Valkyries are an expansion team. They played their first regular-season game in May 2026. They finished their inaugural season as the #2 seed in the Western Conference. They dispatched Dallas 2-0 in Round 1. They beat the defending-champion Aces in the semifinals. And now they are three wins away from a championship — the fastest championship run of any expansion team in American pro sports history, if they finish it.
Natalie Nakase in her first year as Valkyries head coach. The front office built a roster around Gabby Williams, Kiah Stokes and a group of veterans with specific skill sets. The whole operation has been one of the sharpest-executed expansion efforts in recent sports history.
Game 2 and beyond — the schedule
- Game 1 (Sat 17 Oct) — Valkyries 68, Dream 64 ✓
- Game 2 (Mon 19 Oct) — Dream @ Valkyries, Chase Center
- Game 3 (Thu 22 Oct) — Valkyries @ Dream, Gateway Center Arena
- Game 4 (Sat 24 Oct) — Valkyries @ Dream, Gateway Center Arena
- Game 5 (Mon 26 Oct, if nec) — Dream @ Valkyries
- Game 6 (Thu 29 Oct, if nec) — Valkyries @ Dream
- Game 7 (Sat 31 Oct, if nec) — Dream @ Valkyries
Aussies in the Finals
- Isobel Borlase (Atlanta Dream) — rotation guard, first Finals
- Stephanie Talbot (Las Vegas Aces) — eliminated by Valkyries in semis
- Rebecca Allen (New York Liberty) — eliminated by Dream in semis
Storylines to watch
Can Angel Reese take over the series? 20 points in Game 1 is a strong start. If Atlanta loses Game 2, they need Reese to produce 25+ for the rest of the series.
Golden State’s defence. Holding Atlanta to 64 is the formula. Nakase has built this team around locking down opponents.
Can an expansion team actually win it? First time any American major pro-sports expansion team has gotten this close in their first season.
How to watch WNBA Finals in Australia
Every Finals game on ESPN via Kayo and Disney+; also on WNBA League Pass. Check the TV Guide widget for each game’s AEST tip-off.
One email per day at 7:00pm AEDT. Finals schedule, matchups, Australian players featured, pick of the day. Free.
What’s next?
Finals Game 1 result accurate as of Sunday 18 October 2026 US time. Mac Johannson covers US sports for Australian fans.