WNBA Announces Major Last-Second Change For Atlanta Dream-Golden State Valkyries Final

The Atlanta Dream returned to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2013 after sweeping the 2025 champions, the New York Liberty, in the semifinals. Angel Reese went out of her way to treat her teammates after the series-clinching win.

They will clash against the sensation team, the Golden State Valkyries, who reached the Finals in their second WNBA campaign. After they punched their ticket to the championship series, a major issue emerged for Atlanta.

Until last Monday, they hadn’t announced a home venue for the Finals series. The logistical problem stemmed from a scheduling conflict at State Farm Arena later this month. They would host games on October 22, 24, and 29.

This became a problem with the Hawks tipping off their NBA season and a Sombr concert scheduled for October 22.

Aug 20, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) and forward Naz Hillmon (00) cheer from the bench in the fourth quarter of the game against the Los Angeles Sparks in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

On Tuesday, the WNBA confirmed that the Dream would play their Games 3 and 4 at State Farm Arena.

“We are grateful for the efforts made by numerous stakeholders, including the Dream, the Valkyries, the Hawks, State Farm Arena, and NBC Sports and USA Sports,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said. “ 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. We are pleased that thousands more fans across the Southeast region will have the opportunity to experience the ultimate WNBA action – the WNBA Finals – in person.”

Without this move, they would have stayed playing at a 3,500-seat arena.

The Dream are set to play on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 8:00pm ET, while Game 4 will tip off Saturday, Oct. 24 at 1:00pm ET, before the Hawks’ season opener.