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- calendar_today October 13, 2026
WNBA Finals Venue Shift Aims for Larger Crowds
The WNBA has announced that Games 3 and 4 of the 2026 WNBA Finals between the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries will take place at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. The decision was made to accommodate a larger number of fans, moving away from the Dream's regular home at Gateway Center Arena, which offers significantly less seating capacity.
Updated Scheduling and Regional Impact
Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is now slated for Wednesday, Oct. 21, a day earlier than previously scheduled. Game 4 is set for Saturday, Oct. 24, with tipoff moved up to 1 p.m. Eastern — two and a half hours ahead of the original start time to resolve scheduling conflicts at the venue. The opening game of the series will take place in California on Saturday, but Atlanta will become the focal point of the WNBA Finals for these two critical matchups.
State Farm Arena's Expanded Capacity and Significance
The Dream's usual venue, Gateway Center Arena, holds just 3,500 fans, compared to the more than 17,000 seats available at State Farm Arena, home of the NBA's Atlanta Hawks. According to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, "The change of venue dramatically expands the seating capacity and ensures that the Dream will be able to provide an extraordinary atmosphere for the first WNBA Finals game to be played in the Atlanta market since 2013." This move is expected to draw thousands more fans from the Southeast region, offering increased access to the excitement of the WNBA Finals.
Venue and Scheduling Challenges
The shift in venue and schedule was necessary due to multiple conflicts at State Farm Arena. There was already a concert by singer Sombr scheduled for Oct. 22, which could have impacted Game 3, and the Atlanta Hawks are set to hold their home opener on the evening of Oct. 24, creating a tight window for Game 4. Andrew Saltzman, president of business enterprise and chief commercial officer of the Hawks and State Farm Arena, expressed enthusiasm about accommodating the Finals, saying, "We want the Dream to feel the full support of the city during this amazing run."
Recent Uses of State Farm Arena by the Dream
While the Atlanta Dream played most of their regular-season games at Gateway Center Arena, they moved six regular-season games and three playoff matchups to State Farm Arena this year. Earlier this month, the team signed a multiyear agreement to play all home games at State Farm Arena starting next season. However, where Game 6 would be played if the Finals stretch that far remains uncertain, as the Hawks have another home game at State Farm Arena on Oct. 29.
Additional Scheduling Notes for the WNBA Finals
The Golden State Valkyries also experienced a scheduling conflict for Game 2 on Oct. 19 due to Doja Cat's planned concert at Chase Center in San Francisco. That concert has since been moved to Oct. 25 to accommodate the basketball schedule. The WNBA Finals schedule has thus been adjusted at multiple locations to ensure both teams have adequate home game arrangements and maximize fan attendance opportunities.
Source: wrbl.com.
