WNBA playoffs

In the current format of the WNBA playoffs, the top eight teams in the regular season – regardless of conference – participate in a single-elimination tournament system.

Round One is a best-of-three series, played with a homecourt pattern of 2–1 (the higher seed hosts games 1 and 2, while the lower seed hosts game 3, if necessary).

The Semifinals and Finals are both best-of-five, played with a homecourt pattern of 2–2–1 (the higher seed hosts games 1, 2, and 5, while the lower seed hosts games 3 and 4).

[1] Beginning in 2025 the WNBA finals will expand to Best of 7 and the first round will change to a 1-1-1 format (with games 1 and 3 being hosted by the higher seed and game 2 by the lower seed)[2] In case of ties, the following procedures are followed: The playoff format has changed throughout the years ever since the league's establishment.

In the league's first two seasons, 1997 and 1998, only the top four teams overall advanced to the playoffs, which comprised only two rounds.

As expansion began, the playoff format accommodated more teams.

In this format, the first- and second-seeded teams entered the tournament at the Semifinals, third and fourth places started at the Second Round, and the remaining four began at the First Round.

The format also eliminated conference seeding, instead having the top eight teams overall advance.

[1] The current format was adopted in 2022 and features the top 8 teams in the league (regardless of conference) playing a three-round series for the championship.

Beginning in 2025, Round One will switch back to a 1–1–1 pattern, and the Finals will become a best-of-seven series, utilizing a 2–2–1–1–1 pattern similar to the NBA, with the higher seed hosting the first and second games, as well as the fifth and seventh games if necessary.

Note: Teams re-seeded after second round and semi-finals.

Starting in 2010, the first two rounds changed to a 1-1-1 format, with the higher-seeded team hosting games 1 & 3.

For the playoffs, the four teams with the best record in each conference were seeded one to four, this was also the first season where the WNBA finals was expanded to a best-of-5 game series.

The top seeded team in each conference got a bye for the first round.