WNBA Champions by Year: Every Finals Winner, Score and MVP
The Golden State Valkyries are the 2026 WNBA champions. They beat the Atlanta Dream 68 to 63 in Game 7 on October 31. It was the first Game 7 in Finals history.
It was the Valkyries’ first title, won in only their second season. Houston, Minnesota and Seattle lead all teams with four titles each, and 13 teams have won one since 1997.
Three teams have lost every Finals they reached. Connecticut and Atlanta are 0 for 4, and Charlotte is 0 for 1.
Watch the title race, year by year
Drag the year or press play to run all 30 Finals. Tap a team to see every Finals it played.
The WNBA title race
Every WNBA champion by year
| Year | Champion | Runner up | Series | Finals MVP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Golden State Valkyries | Atlanta Dream | 4-3 | Gabby Williams |
| 2025 | Las Vegas Aces | Phoenix Mercury | 4-0 | A’ja Wilson |
| 2024 | New York Liberty | Minnesota Lynx | 3-2 | Jonquel Jones |
| 2023 | Las Vegas Aces | New York Liberty | 3-1 | A’ja Wilson |
| 2022 | Las Vegas Aces | Connecticut Sun | 3-1 | Chelsea Gray |
| 2021 | Chicago Sky | Phoenix Mercury | 3-1 | Kahleah Copper |
| 2020 | Seattle Storm | Las Vegas Aces | 3-0 | Breanna Stewart |
| 2019 | Washington Mystics | Connecticut Sun | 3-2 | Emma Meesseman |
| 2018 | Seattle Storm | Washington Mystics | 3-0 | Breanna Stewart |
| 2017 | Minnesota Lynx | Los Angeles Sparks | 3-2 | Sylvia Fowles |
| 2016 | Los Angeles Sparks | Minnesota Lynx | 3-2 | Candace Parker |
| 2015 | Minnesota Lynx | Indiana Fever | 3-2 | Sylvia Fowles |
| 2014 | Phoenix Mercury | Chicago Sky | 3-0 | Diana Taurasi |
| 2013 | Minnesota Lynx | Atlanta Dream | 3-0 | Maya Moore |
| 2012 | Indiana Fever | Minnesota Lynx | 3-1 | Tamika Catchings |
| 2011 | Minnesota Lynx | Atlanta Dream | 3-0 | Seimone Augustus |
| 2010 | Seattle Storm | Atlanta Dream | 3-0 | Lauren Jackson |
| 2009 | Phoenix Mercury | Indiana Fever | 3-2 | Diana Taurasi |
| 2008 | Detroit Shock | San Antonio Silver Stars | 3-0 | Katie Smith |
| 2007 | Phoenix Mercury | Detroit Shock | 3-2 | Cappie Pondexter |
| 2006 | Detroit Shock | Sacramento Monarchs | 3-2 | Deanna Nolan |
| 2005 | Sacramento Monarchs | Connecticut Sun | 3-1 | Yolanda Griffith |
| 2004 | Seattle Storm | Connecticut Sun | 2-1 | Betty Lennox |
| 2003 | Detroit Shock | Los Angeles Sparks | 2-1 | Ruth Riley |
| 2002 | Los Angeles Sparks | New York Liberty | 2-0 | Lisa Leslie |
| 2001 | Los Angeles Sparks | Charlotte Sting | 2-0 | Lisa Leslie |
| 2000 | Houston Comets | New York Liberty | 2-0 | Cynthia Cooper |
| 1999 | Houston Comets | New York Liberty | 2-1 | Cynthia Cooper |
| 1998 | Houston Comets | Phoenix Mercury | 2-1 | Cynthia Cooper |
| 1997 | Houston Comets | New York Liberty | 1-0 | Cynthia Cooper |
All 30 WNBA Finals, 1997 through 2026. The 1997 title was decided in one game.
The Finals became a best of seven series in 2025. Only two Finals have used it, and the Aces swept the first.
How the Valkyries won in 2026
Game by game
| Game | Date | Winner | Score | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oct 17 | Golden State Valkyries | 68-64 | 1-0 |
| 2 | Oct 19 | Atlanta Dream | 79-65 | 1-1 |
| 3 | Oct 21 | Atlanta Dream | 97-71 | 2-1 |
| 4 | Oct 24 | Golden State Valkyries | 67-62 | 2-2 |
| 5 | Oct 26 | Golden State Valkyries | 64-55 | 3-2 |
| 6 | Oct 29 | Atlanta Dream | 80-69 | 3-3 |
| 7 | Oct 31 | Golden State Valkyries | 68-63 | 4-3 |
The 2026 WNBA Finals, Valkyries over the Dream 4 to 3.
Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 were played in San Francisco. Games 3, 4 and 6 were in Atlanta.
Gabby Williams: 30 points in Game 7
Williams scored 30 points in Game 7 and was named Finals MVP. She also scored 26 in Game 1 and 26 in Game 6.
Atlanta led the series 2 to 1 after Game 3. The Dream forced Game 7 with an 80 to 69 win in Game 6.
WNBA titles by team
| Team | Titles | Title years | Finals played | Finals lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Lynx | 4 | 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 | 7 | 3 |
| Houston Comets | 4 | 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 | 4 | 0 |
| Seattle Storm | 4 | 2004, 2010, 2018, 2020 | 4 | 0 |
| Phoenix Mercury | 3 | 2007, 2009, 2014 | 6 | 3 |
| Las Vegas Aces | 3 | 2022, 2023, 2025 | 5 | 2 |
| Los Angeles Sparks | 3 | 2001, 2002, 2016 | 5 | 2 |
| Detroit Shock | 3 | 2003, 2006, 2008 | 4 | 1 |
| New York Liberty | 1 | 2024 | 6 | 5 |
| Indiana Fever | 1 | 2012 | 3 | 2 |
| Chicago Sky | 1 | 2021 | 2 | 1 |
| Sacramento Monarchs | 1 | 2005 | 2 | 1 |
| Washington Mystics | 1 | 2019 | 2 | 1 |
| Golden State Valkyries | 1 | 2026 | 1 | 0 |
| Atlanta Dream | 0 | None | 4 | 4 |
| Connecticut Sun | 0 | None | 4 | 4 |
| Charlotte Sting | 0 | None | 1 | 1 |
All 16 teams that have played in a WNBA Finals, through 2026.
Four titles: Houston, Minnesota and Seattle
Houston won the first four WNBA titles, from 1997 to 2000, and folded in 2008. Minnesota won four in seven years, in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017. Seattle won in 2004, 2010, 2018 and 2020.
Back to back champions
Houston won four in a row. Los Angeles won in 2001 and 2002, and Las Vegas in 2022 and 2023. The Aces added a third title in 2025.
Teams that lost every Finals
Connecticut lost in 2004, 2005, 2019 and 2022. Atlanta lost in 2010, 2011 and 2013, all by 3 to 0, and again in 2026. Charlotte lost in 2001.
Detroit’s three titles belong to the Dallas Wings. The team moved from Detroit to Tulsa in 2010 and to Dallas in 2016. The Las Vegas Aces lost the 2008 Finals as the San Antonio Silver Stars.
Finals MVP winners with two or more awards
| Player | Finals MVPs | Years | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cynthia Cooper | 4 | 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 | Houston |
| Lisa Leslie | 2 | 2001, 2002 | Los Angeles |
| Diana Taurasi | 2 | 2009, 2014 | Phoenix |
| Sylvia Fowles | 2 | 2015, 2017 | Minnesota |
| Breanna Stewart | 2 | 2018, 2020 | Seattle |
| A’ja Wilson | 2 | 2023, 2025 | Las Vegas |
Six players have won the WNBA Finals MVP more than once.
Fowles won both awards with Minnesota. Taurasi won hers five years apart.
WNBA champions: quick answers
Who won the 2026 WNBA championship?
The Golden State Valkyries. They beat the Atlanta Dream 4 to 3 and won Game 7 68 to 63 on October 31, 2026. Gabby Williams was Finals MVP.
Which team has won the most WNBA championships?
Houston, Minnesota and Seattle, with four each. Houston won from 1997 to 2000, Minnesota between 2011 and 2017, and Seattle between 2004 and 2020.
Who has won the most WNBA Finals MVPs?
Cynthia Cooper, with four, all with Houston from 1997 to 2000. Five other players have won two each.
Which WNBA teams have lost every Finals they reached?
Connecticut and Atlanta are 0 for 4, and Charlotte is 0 for 1.
Who won the WNBA championship in 2025?
The Las Vegas Aces. They swept the Phoenix Mercury 4 to 0, and A’ja Wilson was Finals MVP.
The NBA version of this list is on NBA championships by team. More lists are on the WNBA and College hub and the Ring lists hub.
Sources
Champions, runners up and Finals MVPs are the same on the WNBA and NBC Sports lists. Series scores agree across Britannica and Wikipedia, and the 2026 game scores agree across ESPN and news reports. Full lists are at WNBA.com and Basketball-Reference.
Last verified: November 2, 2026.
