# WNBA postseason and international scheduling impacts

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/wnba-postseason-and-international-scheduling-impacts
> Updated: 2026-10-12T03:07:12.000Z. Sources: 9. Developments: 2.

The 2026 WNBA postseason has commenced under a new format where the top eight teams compete regardless of conference. The Minnesota Lynx entered as the top seed, but the No. 8 seed New York Liberty secured a victory against them in the opening best-of-three round.

As the WNBA playoffs progress, the scheduling of the American league is impacting international competitions. The Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) in Australia is considering delaying its upcoming season start to accommodate marquee players, such as Isobel Borlase, who are participating in the WNBA finals. This conflict arose from a 17-day pause in the WNBA schedule for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, and officials expressed concerns that future WNBA expansions may continue to cause such overlaps.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-12: WNBL considers schedule changes due to WNBA overlap

The WNBL is considering delaying its next season start to avoid scheduling conflicts with the WNBA finals, which are currently causing marquee players to miss the opening games of the Australian competition.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/wnbl-considers-schedule-changes-due-to-wnba-overlap

### 2026-09-30: WNBA playoffs begin with 2026 postseason format

The 2026 WNBA playoffs have begun, featuring an eight-team postseason. The format includes a best-of-three first round, best-of-five semifinals, and a best-of-seven championship series.

7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/wnba-playoffs-begin-with-2026-postseason-format

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Cite as: WNBA postseason and international scheduling impacts. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/wnba-postseason-and-international-scheduling-impacts