When Does the 2025 WNBA Season Start: Date, Time and More

The 2024 WNBA season was a banger in terms of entertainment and thrilling performances from the players in the league. However, the adrenaline rush that the past season gave to the fans has left them wanting more. That’s why the question that’s on every WNBA fan’s tongue is when does the 2025 WNBA season start? For a long time, the fans were left in the lurch since the league was busy inducting the new team, the Golden State Valkyries, into the league.

So, the league will play with 13 teams and 44 games in total next season. But when will the season start, and what is the expected date of the culmination of this year’s WNBA schedule? WNBA season starts in 2025 It’s shaping up to be an exciting year with some incredible talent hitting the court. Also, the WNBA has revealed details about the schedule for the 2025 season and everything else in between. So, let’s move ahead with it without wasting any further time.

When Does the WNBA Season Start?

To answer the question of when does the WNBA season starts, it will start on May 16, 2025, on the eve of Friday. The league management has even made sure that the fans witness the performance of the new addition to the league on the opening night. The competitive tug-of-war between the teams for the WNBA playoff spot will become more intense this season. And it will be just a trailer of what the WNBA will be bringing to the table in the upcoming years.

However, the first impression matters, and if the WNBA can set up the thrill in the minds of the fans for the upcoming season, it will be great for them. The ticket-selling count will eventually increase in the league, leading to more revenue for the league.

Why 2025 is a Must-Watch Season?

When the WNBA season starts in 2025, witness the induction of one of the top draft classes in recent memory. Some of the best talents, such as Paige Bueckers, Hailey Van Lith, and Dominique Malonga, were drafted into the league, all of these prospects promising excitement and thrill for the season to come. Furthermore, this season will witness the latest expansion team, the Golden State Valkyries, play for the first time in the league. Surely, much thrill and action to keep your expectations off the roof!

Furthermore, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese's draft class has now turned into sophomores. With Clark already becoming one of the best players all within her rookie season, it would be exciting to see the new feats and heights she would reach in this season.

The New York Liberty might once again try for another title push, probably running it back like the Las Vegas Aces did in 2022 and 2023. All in all, an exciting season to look forward to, nevertheless.

WNBA Training Camps Start Date

The WNBA Training Camp begins on April 27, 2025. Every year, before the regular and preseason, there is the training camp. For the veterans, the training camps provide a great opportunity to gel with the new and old players and create chemistry. However, for the rookies and players on training-camp contracts, these are no less than any tryouts. The training season provides the litmus test for teams to try out their plays and find out how well the team members gel with each other for the same to translates on the court during a game.

2025 WNBA Preseason Date

The WNBA 2025 season starts with the preseason on May 3, 2025, with the first two matchups being Dallas Wings vs. Las Vegas Aces and the Brazilian National Team vs. Chicago Sky. One of the most exciting matchups to look forward to in this preseason would be the Indiana Fever facing the Brazilian National Team in Iowa City. Furthermore, owing to Caitlin Clark's hype in the WNBA since her getting drafted last season, the game will be televised on national television. Furthermore, this would be one of the record 41 nationally televised regular season games that the Fever will play this year.

When Does the 2025 WNBA Regular Season Start?

The 2025 WNBA regular season start is expected to be on May 16, 2025, with the first matchups being between some of the most hyped teams of the season, such as Dallas Wings, Los Angeles Sparks, the Minnesota Lynx, and the newest team in the W, the Golden State Valkyries. The season will feature a number of exciting matchups, some of which will be nationally televised. The hype generated by Caitlin Clark and the new draft classes, such as that of Paige Bueckers, has gained the WNBA to broadcast some of its most popular games in the regular season on national television.

Key Opening Matchups to Watch

More than opening matchups in the league, the more exciting showdowns are scheduled to happen on the first night of the 2025 WNBA season:

Golden State Valkyries vs. Los Angeles Sparks

The star franchise of the league, Los Angeles Sparks, will face off against the newest kid in the block, the Golden State Valkyries, on the eve of the opening night. This game will kick off on May 16 at 10:00 p.m. ET. It is more of a welcome game for the Valkyries in the Bay Area. However, the fans are eager to test what the Golden State Valkyries will be able to do on the court.

Minnesota Lynx vs. Dallas Wings

At 7:30 p.m. ET, the runner-ups from last season’s Minnesota Lynx will face the defensive prowess of the Dallas Wings. However, Cheryl Cheryl-led squad is hungry for the championship title and will try to clip off the Wings of the Dallas squad. But the Dallas team will also be entering the league with their potential No. 1 draft pick, Paige Bueckers. So it will be interesting to watch how much result Paige displays on the hard court.

Atlanta Dream vs. Washington Mystics

Atlanta Dream and Washington Mystics are both eager to prove their presence in the league. Last season, they were not able to make a mark. However, the momentum carries the team forward till the Commissioner’s Cup if it is already set from the start. So, it will be an interesting showdown for the fans to watch.

On the second day of the WNBA schedule, there is another game worth watching that will be played on Saturday, May 17. Who are the opponents in that showdown, and what do they hold for the fans? Let’s take a look at it.

Las Vegas Aces vs. New York Liberty

The reigning WNBA champions, New York Liberty, will host the Las Vegas Aces at 3:00 p.m. ET in their home arena. It will set the tone of the regular season for the Liberty in the 2025 WNBA season. Also, last season in 2024, the Las Vegas Aces were troubled with the injuries. Therefore, they might return as a different force this season.

Full List of WNBA 2025 Games with Dates and Teams

According to the WNBA data, the league has scheduled the following set of matches in the initial months of the regular season in 2025:

2025 WNBA SCHEDULE: COMMISSIONER’S CUP GAMES

With the WNBA 2025 season start comes the WNBA Commissioner's Cup, which is an in-season tournament in the WNBA that begins at the start of the regular season and continues through the first half of the season. The games are played between the teams of the Eastern and Western Conference and feature 60 regular season games to count towards the cup standings. The table below lists the schedule for the upcoming 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup:

If you want to know more about the post All-Star and Commissioner’s Cup games, do visit the official website of the WNBA to witness all the game schedules till the end of the regular season. September 12 is expected to be the last day for the regular season matchups.

Top Teams and Players to Watch in the 2025 WNBA Season

The teams will generate a cutthroat competition since the league is expanding. Psychological advantage matters in the league and if some franchises appear to be dominant this season, it will be a plus point for them in the upcoming years. When the expansion teams make a debut, the veteran and victorious franchises will always have the upper hand in those situations. Considering all these situations, the teams that the fans can keep an eye on are as follows:

New York Liberty

The defending champions, New York Liberty, still have their star powers, Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones. So, they have the firepower to burst through the defense of the opponent. But they must keep their focus since the current offseason is much more chaotic than any other WNBA offseason in the past.

Minnesota Lynx

The Minnesota Lynx were the opponents of the Liberty in the finals last season. They gave them tough competition but unfortunately could not make the splash. However, Napheesa Collier and the squad will try to gain what they lost last season. Under the genius guidance of Cheryl Reeve, this franchise is a threat to any team’s championship goals.

Dallas Wings

The Wings hold the key to the no.1 prospect in the WNBA Draft, who is expected to be Paige Bueckers. She will be a treat to watch if the pressure of pro basketball does not shatter her. However, the rest of the squad, along with Arike Ogunbowale, must contribute to the debutant’s efforts for the long run next season.

Golden State Valkyries

It is just a prediction, but the Golden State Valkyries will at least need to make their presence known throughout the league. If they are not able to do so, they will get lost among the expanded 15 teams in the league in the coming years.

Indiana Fever

The Indiana Fever front office has made significant modifications to the current roster, adding DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard, and Sophie Cunningham. In addition to these defense specialists and championship-level three-point shooters, the franchise has kept Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell, and Caitlin Clark safe. So, it might be safe to say that the Fever are all prepared for a deep playoff run. Even if they cannot manage to get to the title, the future should be better than the past.

The 2025 WNBA season has many unanswered questions that will present their answers themselves during the regular season. The signing season is still going on, and the WNBA Draft is still set to take place in April. Many key moves and transactions are still waiting for the fans’ reaction before the season starts.

How to Watch the 2025 WNBA Season?

The 2025 WNBA Season can be watched live on ESPN and games can be streamed on ESPN +. Furthermore, games that are not televised and exclusive Commissioner's Cup action is available on the WNBA Season Pass subscription as well. An yearly subscription of the pass comes to $34.99 while monthly subscription costs $12.99.