The 2026 WNBA season kicked off with the New York Liberty defeating the Connecticut Sun by 31 points, while the Washington Mystics won against the Toronto Tempo. Upcoming games include a matchup featuring the last four No. 1 draft picks.
Key points
2026 WNBA season has begun
New York Liberty won by 31 points
Washington Mystics defeated Toronto Tempo
Upcoming games feature last four No. 1 picks
Seattle Storm hosting Golden State Valkyries
New York LibertyConnecticut SunWashington MysticsToronto Tempo
Opening weekend will continue Saturday with four more games, including a highly-anticipated showdown between the Indiana Fever and Dallas Wings, which will feature the last four No. 1 picks: Aliyah Boston (2023), Caitlin Clark (2024), Paige Buckers (2025) and Azzi Fudd (2026).
What was the score of the New York Liberty vs Connecticut Sun game?
The New York Liberty won against the Connecticut Sun with a score of 31 points.
Who are the last four No. 1 picks playing in the WNBA this season?
The last four No. 1 picks are Aliyah Boston (2023), Caitlin Clark (2024), Paige Buckers (2025), and Azzi Fudd (2026).
Which teams played in the first game of the 2026 WNBA season?
The first game of the 2026 WNBA season featured the New York Liberty and the Connecticut Sun.
What teams are playing on the opening weekend of the WNBA?
Opening weekend includes games featuring the New York Liberty, Connecticut Sun, Washington Mystics, Toronto Tempo, Seattle Storm, and Golden State Valkyries.
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Now that the season is off and running, let's take a look at some of the winners and losers from opening night:
Winner: Breanna Stewart
Stewart's 2025 was frustrating. She underwent meniscus surgery on her right knee prior to the season, suffered a right knee bone bruise late in the season that kept her out for a month and then sprained the MCL in her left knee during Game 1 of the Liberty's first-round playoff series with the Phoenix Mercury. Not only did the Liberty's title defense end in the first round, but Stewart averaged her fewest points since her rookie season and failed to make an All-WNBA team for the first time since 2019.
Entering 2026, Stewart was fully healthy and ready to get back to an MVP level under new coach Chris DeMarco. It didn't take her long. She scored on the Liberty's first possession of the season and finished with 31 points, 10 rebounds, one steal and three blocks in a dominant two-way performance to lead New York to a 31-point win despite Sabrina Ionescu and Satou Sabally's absence.
Including the playoffs, Stewart only had two 30-point games all of last season.
It's the Stewie Show in Brooklyn tonight 🫢
Breanna Stewart floats it over the defense for the TUFF AND-1!
The Sun are still in the early stages of their rebuild, so it's no surprise that they lost to the Liberty -- the favorite to win the title -- on opening night, especially without star guard Leïla Lacan, who is still overseas. But to give up 106 points was extremely discouraging.
The Liberty shot the ball well early, but it's not as if they made a million 3s (they were 10 of 31). Rather, the Sun were consistently getting beat in transition, had no answer around the basket and fouled relentlessly. The Liberty scored 19 fastbreak points, 42 points in the paint and went 26 of 31 from the free throw line.
Regardless of the opponent, Connecticut's defense was far too sloppy. They need to clean things up, or their final season in Uncasville before relocating to Houston is going to be even longer than expected. Honestly, you could make Lacan a winner from this game. If this is what the Sun's defense looks like without her, she should earn Defensive Player of the Year votes from this game alone.
Winner: Canada
Coca-Cola Coliseum was rocking on Friday night, and though the result didn't go the Toronto Tempo's way, the expansion team's first-ever game was a historic moment years in the making. The Tempo, one of two expansion teams that joined the league this season, are the first WNBA team in Canada and the first outside of the United States.
After Marina Mabrey hit a 3-pointer in the middle of the fourth quarter to briefly give the Tempo the lead, the decibel level got up to 105.4 -- well above the level at which sustained exposure may result in hearing loss, per Yale University.
Like any expansion team, the Tempo may struggle to win games this season, but Friday night's opener proved that they're going to compete and will have plenty of support behind them.
Winner: Sonia Citron
Coming into her rookie season, the general consensus was that Citron, the No. 3 overall pick, had a high floor but a low ceiling. She quickly proved that wrong with an All-Star campaign that saw her lead the league in 3-point percentage (44.2%) and finish as the runner-up to Paige Bueckers for Rookie of the Year.
She picked up right where she left off on Friday during the Mystics' season-opening win over the Tempo. Citron scored a team-high 26 points -- tied for the third-highest scoring performance of her career -- on 9 of 12 from the field and 3 of 6 from 3-point range, and chipped in two steals and two blocks. Everyone else on the Mystics combined for 42 points on 16 of 52 shooting and 2 of 18 from behind the arc.
Back-and-forth we go 👐
Sonia Citron's bucket puts the @WashMystics up 1 (58-57) with 3:30 to go! Tune into ION for the last minutes of the game!
Citron came up clutch, too. Her layup in the middle of the final frame put the Mystics back in front for good after they had blown a nine-point lead, and she followed that up with an and-one. If Friday was any indication, the Mystics are going to rely heavily on Citron this season, and she has the ability to carry their offense.
