ATLANTA ― The No. 4 seed Atlanta Dream will host the No. 5 seed Washington Mystics in the first round of the 2026 WNBA Playoffson Sunday, Sept. 27, at State Farm Arena (7 p.m. ET, Prime Video).
Washington arrives in Atlanta after winning nine of its last 11 matchups, including four straight before the playoffs. The Mystics' 28 wins this season, a franchise-best, include a recent decisive victory over the Indiana Fever that helped them keep momentum approaching their first playoff appearance since 2023. Washington finished the season with the second-ranked defense (103.3 rating).
"The mentality for us ... is really being us. I think that it's gotten us here. We have more than enough in our locker room," Mystics forward Michaela Onyenwere said.
"We are really, really deep. We focus on being together. We focus on playing tough defense, being super physical. That's been our identity the entire season. So, it's like, 'Why stop now?'"
Atlanta opens the first round at home after winning homecourt following two victories against New York. The Dream finished the season 9-1, including five straight victories that sealed the franchise's second straight 30-win season. Like Washington, Atlanta has a top-ranked defense (103.5 rating, third in the WNBA). In 2025, the Fever upset the Dream, 2-1, in the first round.
“You can’t get beat by the things you were supposed to be working on all season long. You have to get better at those things because at the end it's gonna be something that beats you," Dream forward Naz Hillmon said, reflecting on last year's playoff run. "You wanna walk away saying that I put everything out there. I changed what I needed to change. I fixed what I needed to fix, and the result is what it is."
Washington took the 2026 regular-season series against Atlanta 2-1 and owns the all-time regular-season head-to-head record, 36-33. The Dream hold the all-time edge in the playoffs, 6-4.
USA TODAY Sports is providing full coverage of Sunday's WNBA playoff matchup between the Mystics and Dream. Follow along for live updates:
What TV channel is Mystics vs. Dream on today?
- Streaming: Prime Video
Prime Video will broadcast Sunday's WNBA playoff game between the Mystics and Dream.
What time is Mystics vs. Dream?
- Date: Sunday, Sept. 27
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Location: State Farm Arena (Atlanta)
The Mystics and Dream play at 7 p.m. ET in the 2026 WNBA playoffs on Sunday, Sept. 27, at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Michael Grady is handling play-by-play duties. LaChina Robinson and WNBA Hall of Famer Candace Parker will be the analysts. Kayla Grey is on the sidelines.
Washington Mystics vs. Atlanta Dream first-round schedule
- Sunday, Sept. 27: Game 1 | 7 p.m. ET (Prime Video) | State Farm Arena
- Wednesday, Sept. 30: Game 2 | 7 p.m. ET (ESPN) | CareFirst Arena
- Friday, Oct. 2: Game 3 (if necessary) | TBD | State Farm Arena
2026 WNBA playoffs officials
The 20 referees assigned to the postseason include 17 on-court officials and three alternates. Here are the game officials assigned to the 2026 WNBA playoffs:
Congratulations to the 20 WNBA Referees selected for the 2026 @WNBA Playoffs 🏀🏆
— NBA Referees (@OfficialNBARefs) September 25, 2026
Playoffs officials are selected by the WNBA Referee Operations management team based on key criteria assessed throughout the season including: WNBA Referee Operations grades and rankings,… pic.twitter.com/VYHmLtmAOF
2026 WNBA playoffs bracket
No. 4 seed Atlanta Dream roster
Head coach: Karl Smesko
No. 5 seed Washington Mystics roster
Head coach: Sydney Johnson
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Washington Mystics vs. Atlanta Dream live updates: Time, stream for WNBA playoffs
