The New York Liberty and the Connecticut Sun will play the first WNBA game of the 2026 season this Friday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn with a 7:30 p.m. tipoff. Theirs is the first of three Friday night games opening the 30th WNBA season; you can also catch Washington Mystics vs. Toronto Tempo at 7:30 p.m., and Golden State Valkyries vs. Seattle Storm. at 10 p.m., and all three games will be available on ION and WNBA League Pass.
Here’s what you need to know about watching the 2026 WNBA season opener between the Connecticut Sun and the New York Liberty, and how to watch the whole WNBA season.
How to watch the Connecticut Sun vs. New York Liberty:
Date: Friday, May 8
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Channel: ION
Streaming:DirecTV, YouTube TV, Tubi, NBA League Pass + more
When is the Connecticut Sun vs. New York Liberty game?
The 2026 WNBA season tips off with a three-game opening night slate on Friday, May 8, 2026, starting with a matchup between the Sun and Liberty at 7:30 p.m. ET.
What channel is the Connecticut Sun vs. New York Liberty game on?
The Sun vs. Liberty season opener will air on ION.
Where to watch the Connecticut Sun vs. New York Liberty game without cable:
ION is available on streaming platforms like DirecTV and YouTube TV as well as on free services like Tubi. This Friday’s game will also stream on WNBA League Pass.
What channel are WNBA games on this season?
For the 2026 season, WNBA games will be spread across a wide range of channels (and streaming platforms). Games will air on ABC, ESPN (and ESPN2/ESPN+), CBS, NBC (and NBCSN), ION, USA Network, and NBA TV. Plus, some games will be exclusive to Amazon Prime Video; games that air on NBC will stream on Peacock; games on CBS will be available on Paramount+; and select games airing on ABC will stream on Disney+. Certain games will also be available only via League Pass.
Confused? Overwhelmed? Don’t have cable these days? Here’s a loose weekly schedule for which nights of the week get which channels, plus what you’ll need to watch WNBA games in 2026:
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Sunday — ABC, CBS, ESPN, NBA TV, or NBC
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Monday — NBCSN/Peacock or USA
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Tuesday — ESPN
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Wednesday — USA
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Thursday — NBA TV or Prime Video
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Friday — ION
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Saturday — ABC, CBS or NBCSN/Peacock
Where to watch WNBA games without cable:
Where to stream WNBA games:
WNBA season opening week TV schedule:
All times Eastern
Friday, May 8, 2026
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Connecticut Sun @ New York Liberty: 7:30 p.m. (ION / League Pass)
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Washington Mystics @ Toronto Tempo: 7:30 p.m. (ION / League Pass)
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Golden State Valkyries @ Seattle Storm: 10:00 p.m. (ION / League Pass)
Saturday, May 9, 2026
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Dallas Wings @ Indiana Fever: 1:00 p.m. (ABC / Disney+)
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Phoenix Mercury @ Las Vegas Aces: 3:30 p.m. (ABC / Disney+)
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Atlanta Dream @ Minnesota Lynx: 8:00 p.m. (Local Broadcasters)
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Chicago Sky @ Portland Fire: 9:00 p.m. (NBA TV)
Sunday, May 10, 2026
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Seattle Storm @ Connecticut Sun: 1:00 p.m. (League Pass / no national TV)
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New York Liberty @ Washington Mystics: 3:00 p.m. (Local Broadcasters)
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Las Vegas Aces @ Los Angeles Sparks: 6:00 p.m. (USA Network)
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Phoenix Mercury @ Golden State Valkyries: 8:30 p.m. (Local Broadcasters)
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
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Atlanta Dream @ Dallas Wings: 8:00 p.m. (Local Broadcasters)
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Minnesota Lynx @ Phoenix Mercury: 10:00 p.m. (League Pass / no national TV)
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New York Liberty @ Portland Fire: 10:00 p.m. (Local Broadcasters)
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
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Seattle Storm @ Toronto Tempo: 7:00 p.m. (League Pass / no national TV)
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Las Vegas Aces @ Connecticut Sun: 8:00 p.m. (USA Network)
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Chicago Sky @ Golden State Valkyries: 10:00 p.m. (Local Broadcasters)
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Indiana Fever @ Los Angeles Sparks: 10:30 p.m. (USA Network)
Thursday, May 14, 2026
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Minnesota Lynx @ Dallas Wings: 8:00 p.m. (Prime Video)
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New York Liberty @ Portland Fire: 10:00 p.m. (Prime Video / Local Broadcasters)