Liberty face Dream in WNBA semifinals: full schedule, channels and streaming
The eighth-seeded Liberty open a best-of-five semifinal series in Atlanta against the No. 4 Dream on Sunday at 2 p.m. on ABC.
A spot in the 2026 WNBA Finals is on the line as the New York Liberty take on the Atlanta Dream in a best-of-five semifinal. The series starts in Atlanta on Sunday, Oct. 4, with a 2 p.m. Eastern tipoff on ABC.
Liberty vs. Dream schedule and TV channels
Because Atlanta is the higher seed at No. 4, the eighth-seeded Liberty open on the road. The first two games are in Atlanta. New York gets Game 3 at home, plus Game 4 if the series lasts that long.
- Game 1, Sunday, Oct. 4, in Atlanta: tipoff 2 p.m. Eastern, ABC
- Game 2, Wednesday, Oct. 7, in Atlanta: ESPN has it, starting at 7:30 p.m. Eastern
- Game 3, Friday, Oct. 9, in New York: ESPN 2 carries the 7:30 p.m. Eastern start
- Game 4, Sunday, Oct. 11, in New York (only if needed): on ABC, start time not yet set
- Game 5, Wednesday, Oct. 14, in Atlanta (only if needed): on ESPN, start time not yet set
Fans who would rather stream can watch every game through the ESPN app or on ESPN.com.
How the Liberty reached the WNBA semifinals
The Liberty arrive after a first-round result the league had never seen. By ousting the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx, they became the first No. 8 seed to knock out a No. 1. The matchup repeated the 2024 Finals, and New York took both games by 16 points. In the opener, played in Minnesota, Breanna Stewart posted 34 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones then put up 60 points between them to close out the series.
The Dream needed only two games against fifth-seeded Washington, sweeping the Mystics by double digits both times. It is Atlanta’s first semifinal appearance since 2018.
Recent meetings favor Atlanta. With Defensive Player of the Year Angel Reese, the Dream closed the regular season by beating New York twice in a row in Brooklyn, each time by double figures. New York’s lone win over Atlanta this year came in June, in a game not played at Barclays Center. Getting past the Dream would put the Liberty in the Finals for the third time in four years.
Quick answers
What channel is Liberty vs. Dream Game 1 on?
ABC has Game 1, which starts at 2 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, Oct. 4.
When do the Liberty play at home in the semifinals?
New York's first home game is Game 3 on Friday, Oct. 9, starting at 7:30 p.m. Eastern. A Game 4, if needed, would also be in New York on Oct. 11, with the start time still to be set.
How can I stream the Liberty semifinal series?
Every game streams on ESPN.com and in the ESPN app.
