By: Jennifer Portee
5/8/2026
Opening weekend kicks tonight with high intense matchups featuring new expansion teams and star-studded debuts. Three games light the fuse: Connecticut Sun at New York Liberty (7:30 p.m. ET on ION/League Pass), Washington Mystics at Toronto Tempo (7:30 p.m. ET on ION/League Pass), and Golden State Valkyries at Seattle Storm (10 p.m. ET on ION/League Pass).
Saturday heats up with an ABC doubleheader: the Dallas Wings take on the Indiana Fever at 1 p.m. ET, featuring recent No. 1 picks Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd against Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston. Then at 3:30 p.m. ET, the Phoenix Mercury face the Las Vegas Aces in a Finals rematch.
Other Saturday highlights include Atlanta Dream at Minnesota Lynx (8 p.m. ET on League Pass) with Angel Reese’s Atlanta debut, and Chicago Sky at Portland Fire (9 p.m. ET on NBA TV), marking Portland’s first game.
Sunday wraps with Las Vegas Aces at Los Angeles Sparks (6 p.m. ET on USA), spotlighting Nneka Ogwumike’s return to LA. These games showcase the league’s growth, from superteams to fresh franchises.