Updated October 11, 2026, 8:49 p.m. ET
The Atlanta Dream is trying to move the WNBA Finals games in Atlanta to a larger venue, but efforts to do so have so far failed, people with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY sports. The people requested anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the decision.
Unless there are any changes, Game 3 on October 22, Game 4 on October 24, and Game 6 on October 29 will be played at the Dream’s home, Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Georgia. It has a capacity of 3,500 seats for basketball games.
After reaching the WNBA Finals, the Dream hoped to play at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, which seats more than 17,000 people, people with knowledge of the situation said. This year, the team hosted six regular season games and three playoff games at State Farm.
However, talks to move the finals matches there failed. State Farm is currently booked during Games 3, 4 and 6 for a concert and two Atlanta Hawks regular season games, including the home opener. The Dream attempted to explore other venue options in the Atlanta area, such as Gas South Arena (up to 13,000 seats) and Georgia Tech’s McCamish Pavilion (8,600 seats). Those efforts also hit a roadblock, people with knowledge of the situation said.
On Tuesday, October 6, the Dream announced that they would be moving to State Farm Arena next year. This decision is part of a multi-year agreement and against a backdrop of record growth for the league. Next season, the WNBA will expand to 50 games and State Farm will host all 25 of the Dream’s home games.
“We didn’t have any playoff games (at State Farm Arena) last year…but we had a couple games there, and they looked like playoff games. So I think for us, having those games during the season and having the result that we had, I think it helps us prepare for that environment,” Dream guard Rhyne Howard said.
The Golden State Valkyries, who host Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 of the Finals, will play at the Chase Center in San Francisco. Chase Center is the team’s home throughout the WNBA regular season and has hosted several playoff games.
“We will not play a game outside of Chase Center in the postseason,” Valkyries team president Jess Smith said. “Our ownership group is committed to this… Things are booked in arenas with contingent dates. It’s standard operating procedure. It’s been happening for decades. It’s not a title… We understand prioritization.”
Atlanta advanced to the 2026 WNBA Finals after finishing the regular season as the No. 4 seed and sweeping the Washington Mystics in the first round and the New York Liberty in the semifinals. The Dream return to the finals stage for the first time since the 2013 season. Atlanta is 0-9 all-time in finals games.
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