Atlanta Dream Move WNBA Finals Games to State Farm Arena

The Atlanta Dream will host Games 3 and 4 of the 2026 WNBA Finals at State Farm Arena after coordinating with the Atlanta Hawks and other league stakeholders to resolve scheduling conflicts. The venue change increases seating capacity for Atlanta's first Finals games since 2013, while Game 3 moves to October 21 and Game 4 remains scheduled for October 24.

According to announcements reported by USA TODAY and FOX 5 Atlanta on October 13, Game 3 will tip off at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, October 21, with coverage on USA Network. Game 4 will begin at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 24, allowing the Hawks to host the Houston Rockets at 8:30 p.m. that evening.

The Dream had initially faced the prospect of playing Finals games at Gateway Center Arena in College Park, which holds approximately 3,500 spectators. State Farm Arena offers a substantially larger venue, giving more fans an opportunity to attend the championship series.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said the agreement would expand access for supporters throughout the region.

"We are grateful for the efforts made by numerous stakeholders, including the Dream, the Valkyries, the Hawks, State Farm Arena, and NBC Sports and USA Sports," Engelbert said.

Engelbert said the relocation would create a larger setting for Atlanta's first WNBA Finals appearance in the market since 2013. The Dream reached the championship round after sweeping the Washington Mystics in the first round and the New York Liberty in the semifinals, according to USA TODAY.

Dream majority owner Larry Gottesdiener welcomed the agreement as a response to the expectations of the team and its supporters.

"This is what the players and the fans deserve," Gottesdiener said.

The Dream had already played six regular-season games and three postseason games at State Farm Arena during 2026. Earlier attempts to secure the venue for the Finals encountered conflicts involving a concert and two Hawks games, while alternative locations, including Gas South Arena and Georgia Tech's McCamish Pavilion, did not resolve the situation.

The scheduling difficulties reflect the challenge facing Atlanta as an independent WNBA franchise without the arena ownership arrangements available to some other teams. The Hawks' regular-season schedule and existing events at State Farm Arena complicated efforts to accommodate the Finals.

Atlanta team president and chief operating officer Morgan Shaw Parker previously described the atmosphere at Gateway Center Arena as a close-knit experience for fans.

"I can't really describe it," Shaw Parker said.

She had also compared the arena's atmosphere to a gathering among friends and family, accompanied by live entertainment and high-level basketball.

"It's like passing a plate of food with your family and your friends in the backyard. There's also an amazing concert going on, and holy cow, the basketball is insane," Shaw Parker said.

Shaw Parker said games at State Farm Arena would help the organization understand local demand for different ticket prices, describing the process as learning "what this market will bear." The Dream have regularly promoted sellouts at their smaller home arena, but the venue's limited capacity restricts the number of spectators who can attend major games.

The Golden State Valkyries will host Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 at Chase Center in San Francisco. The team previously emphasized its commitment to keeping postseason games at its home venue despite competing event schedules.

"We will not play a game outside of Chase Center this postseason," Valkyries team president Jess Smith said.

Smith attributed that position to the team's ownership group and its approach to scheduling major games.

"Our ownership group (has) been committed to that. ... We understand the prioritization," Smith said.

The Dream and Hawks coordinated the Atlanta venue change with the WNBA, the NBA, broadcast partners and the Valkyries. Tickets for Games 3 and 4 were scheduled to go on sale to the general public on Friday, October 16, at 10 a.m., according to FOX 5 Atlanta.

A potential Game 6 remains scheduled for October 29 at 8 p.m. ET at Gateway Center Arena, although USA TODAY reported that further discussions could determine whether that venue remains in place. Atlanta has never won a WNBA Finals game, entering the series with an all-time Finals record of 0-9.