The 2020 WNBA season will feature the first-ever Commissioner’s Cup tournament, an expanded schedule with 36 games per team and an increase in nationally televised games. The league’s 24th regular season tips off on Friday, May 15, 2020, and concludes on Sunday, Sept. 20.

“We are incredibly excited to introduce a first-of-its-kind in-season tournament for our league and present more regular-season games on ABC, increasing the WNBA’s national television exposure,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. 

“The Commissioner’s Cup offers fans another competition through which to support their favourite teams and adds a new dimension to the season for our players and teams. And the 2020 schedule gives fans even more opportunities to see the best players in the world compete at the highest level and highlights broadcasters continued commitment to the WNBA and women’s sports.”

“We are honoured to offer fans once again an extensive slate of WNBA matchups this season, with games,” said Carol Stiff, ESPN vice president of programming and acquisitions.

“The WNBA continues to be a priority for ESPN, as it has been since its launch. We look forward to working hand-in-hand with the league, elevating women’s professional basketball to new heights.”

Commissioner’s Cup
The new Commissioner’s Cup will consist of designating a portion of regular-season games – 10 games per team – as counting towards Cup play. The team from each conference with the top record in designated “Cup games” will then compete for The Commissioner Cup title and a special prize pool.

Cup games will be the first home game and first road game each team plays against its five conference rivals, all completed from May 15 – July 10 before the WNBA takes a monthlong break while many WNBA players participate in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan, including the USA Basketball Women’s National Team, which will be competing for its seventh consecutive gold medal.

The Commissioner’s Cup Championship Game is tentatively scheduled to be played on Friday, Aug. 14, two days before regular-season play resumes on Sunday, Aug. 16 following the Olympic break.

Opening Weekend
The WNBA regular season tips off on Friday, May 15 with three games: the Minnesota Lynx at the Chicago Sky, the Atlanta Dream at the Indiana Fever and the Dallas Wings at the Storm.

The following day, in addition to ESPN’s telecast of Los Angeles at Washington, Connecticut hosts the New York Liberty, and Chicago visits Atlanta.

The opening weekend concludes with four games on Sunday, May 17: Los Angeles at New York, Dallas at the Las Vegas Aces, Seattle at Phoenix and Indiana at Minnesota.

2020 WNBA SCHEDULE: 

  • Sat. May 16: Los Angeles @ Washington 4:00 pm/et on ESPN
  • Tue. June 2: Seattle @ Washington 8:00 pm/et on ESPN2
  • Sat. June 6: Phoenix @ Las Vegas 3:00 pm/et on ABC
  • Sun. June 7: Los Angeles @ Minnesota 3:00 pm/et on ABC
  • Tue. June 16: Phoenix @ New York 8:00 pm/et on ESPN2
  • Tue. June 16: Las Vegas @ Los Angeles 10:00 pm/et on ESPN2
  • Tue. June 23: Seattle @ Dallas 8:00 pm/et on ESPN2
  • Tue. June 23: Phoenix @ Los Angeles 10:00 pm/et on ESPN2
  • Sat. June 27: Chicago @ Las Vegas 4:00 pm/et on ESPN2
  • Sun. June 28: Connecticut @ Washington 3:00 pm/et on ESPN2
  • Thur. July 2: Connecticut @ New York 8:00 pm/et on ESPN2
  • Sun. Aug. 16: Minnesota @ Connecticut 12:00 pm/et on ESPN
  • Tue. Aug. 25: Los Angeles @ Chicago 8:00 pm/et on ESPN2
  • Tue. Aug. 25: Minnesota @ Seattle 10:00 pm/et on ESPN2
  • Sun. Sept. 6: Washington @ Phoenix 3:00 pm/et on ABC
  • Sun. Sept. 13: Phoenix @ Seattle 3:00 pm/et on ABC
  • Sun. Sept. 20: Connecticut @ Washington 3:00 pm/et on ABC


Schedule subject to change - below is the WNBA’s schedule for the opening weekend of the 2020 season.

2020 WNBA SCHEDULE: OPENING WEEKEND

  • Fri. May 15: Atlanta @ Indiana 7:00 pm/et
  • Fri. May 15: Minnesota @ Chicago 8:00 pm/et
  • Fri. May 15: Dallas @ Seattle 10:00 pm/et
  • Sat. May 16: New York @ Connecticut 7:00 pm/et
  • Sat. May 16: Los Angeles @ Washington 4:00 pm/et
  • Sat. May 16: Chicago @ Atlanta 8:00 pm/et
  • Sun. May 17: Los Angeles @ New York 6:00 pm/et
  • Sun. May 17: Indiana @ Minnesota 6:00 pm/et
  • Sun. May 17: Dallas @ Las Vegas 3:00 pm/et
  • Sun. May 17: Seattle @ Phoenix 3:00 pm/et