Image Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

What is the New WNBA Playoffs Format? 2025 WNBA Playoffs Dates, Format and More

The 2025 WNBA Playoffs season is going to be grand, more entertaining, and thrilling.

Image Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The 2025 WNBA season is serving fans with entertainment, thrill, and high-octane clashes. The league is approaching the postseason, and with every passing day, the fight to grab a seed and a playoff spot is only getting intense. One can expect more drama and action-filled games in the coming days, where all 13 teams won’t want to leave any stone unturned to make it to the top eight by the end of the regular season.

For those who don’t know, while there are many similarities between the NBA and the WNBA, one of the key features that separates them is how their playoffs are structured. In the WNBA, the top eight teams move a step closer to the coveted trophy. The team that finishes with the best record gets the top seed and home-court advantage throughout.

Playoffs have always been exciting. However, fans can expect more this season, considering the fight will be among 13 teams, and the league has announced a couple of changes in the format. What are these changes? Let’s find out.

WNBA Playoffs 2025 Important Dates

The 2025 WNBA regular season will come to an end on September 11. The playoffs will commence on September 14. They are scheduled to come to an end on October 19.

The 2025 WNBA Playoffs presented by @Google and WNBA Finals presented by @YouTubeTV schedule is here 🗓️

Round 1 is set to tip-off Sunday, September 14th!

Stay locked in as we enter the final weeks of the regular szn to see what 8 teams clinch a spot in the playoffs 🏀

*All… pic.twitter.com/48K0Gfn2qO
— WNBA (@WNBA) August 20, 2025

WNBA Playoffs 2025 Format

The 2025 WNBA playoffs will have two major changes. This year, the WNBA Finals will increase from five to seven games, with a 2-2-1-1-1 format. It simply means that the higher seed would get to host the first two games. The lower seed would host the next two games. They will go back and forth, and the higher seed will get to host a potential Game 7.

The opening round will be executed in a 1-1-1 structure. It means that the higher seed will host the first and a potential third game. It will be different from the previous structure. Previously, the lower seed would not get any games unless they took one of the first two games, on the road.

Last year, the WNBA Commissioner announced changes in the format. She said that the new structure will allow fans to see a series format they are accustomed to seeing in other sports.

2025 WNBA Playoffs

Garima Ranawat

Garima is a sports writer with around two years of experience in Indian sports and a newfound interest in the NBA. Inspired by the leadership of cricketing legend MS Dhoni, she wishes to bring in newer perspectives to the NBA fanatics with her writing.