Dream downs the Liberty in WNBA playoff seeding shakeup

The Spirit lit up the NWSL pitch in Sunday’s win over the Stars — literally.

Atlanta zeroes in on home-court advantage

No. 4 Atlanta controls its own destiny, downing No. 8 New York 95-84 to pull within one game of clinching home-court advantage in next week’s WNBA playoffs.

• The Dream stood its ground against postseason competition, besting the Liberty behind guard Jordin Canada’s 19 points and nine assists.

• “We know what’s at stake,” Canada said afterward. “We knew that this was going to be a battle.” (Watch full highlights)

Looking ahead: Atlanta will have to get past New York one last time, closing out the season tomorrow against a Liberty side searching for answers before it’s too late.

• Monday’s loss saw New York lose its grip on a Top 5 playoff seed, relegating the 2024 champion to a road trip-heavy path to the finals.

• “We’re going to take on the challenge,” Liberty forward Leonie Fiebich said ahead of Wednesday’s rematch. “They can feel good about the win. It’s good, cool for us. We’re gonna win the next one.” (See seeding tracker)

Tune in: New York faces Atlanta tomorrow at 8 PM ET (USA).

Fever & Lynx doubleheader sets playoff path

No. 5 Indiana is buckling up, tipping off a season-ending doubleheader against No. 1 Minnesota tonight with crucial playoff seeding on the line.

• The Lynx need just one win to clinch the top overall seed, while the Fever can up their home-court advantage odds by running the table.

• “We play the best team in the league, two games to finish the regular season,” said Indiana guard Caitlin Clark. “I see that as an opportunity for us to have amazing confidence going into the postseason.” (See all scenarios)

Taking stock: Minnesota might be without its rookie floor general tonight, with guard Olivia Miles listed as “questionable” after a left calf knock.

• Miles leads the team in points (19.8) and assists (6.0) per game, leaving the Lynx in the lurch as they look to lock in a second straight No. 1 seed.

• The Fever might have guard trouble of its own, as “probable” Clark continues to nurse a lingering back issue. (See injury report)

Tune in: Minnesota faces Indiana tonight at 8 PM ET (ESPN).

Relocating Sun eyes top WNBA lottery odds

As the WNBA’s regular season nears its end, seven playoff-eliminated teams are shifting focus to next year — and taking aim at the 2027 draft lottery.

• No. 14 Connecticut sits in pole position for the No. 1 overall pick with a 21-65 two-year record, edging newcomer No. 13 Toronto’s .262 win percentage.

• The Sun could clinch top odds this week, going all-in on the future after announcing President Jennifer Rizotti and GM Morgan Tuck will remain with the Houston-bound team next season. (See full report)

How it works: The draft lottery relies on back-to-back records as an anti-tanking measure, giving the Sun and Tempo an advantage over 2025 playoff contender No. 15 Seattle despite the Storm’s lower 2026 win tally.

• No. 12 Chicago is currently third in line to land the No. 1 pick, but thanks to a previous trade with No. 6 Washington, the Sky will automatically swap first-round selections with the Mystics.

• No. 9 LA, No. 10 Portland, and No. 11 Phoenix round out the lottery teams, after the Mercury’s 2025 finals run dampened its shot at next year’s top recruit. (See full odds)

The WNBA is back in action, with teams fighting for playoff positioning as the league returns from the 2026 FIBA World Cup.

• Tonight’s ESPN slate opens with a high-stakes Lynx vs Fever showdown, as Olivia Miles and Caitlin Clark battle for playoff positioning, before the Sparks welcome the star-studded Aces to LA.

• The first round of the WNBA playoffs tips off on September 27th — check out which teams made the cut via wnba.com/standings.

Stay tuned: Keep up with the late-season standings and check out all the postseason news on the WNBA App.

UWCL kicks off 2026/27 main draw

Champions League kicks off in earnest today, as 18 top European clubs open their 2026/27 League Phase campaigns en route to the knockouts.

• Reigning WSL winner Manchester City returns to UWCL competition, taking on German champion Bayern Munich in this week’s marquee matchup.

• “We worked really hard to get back in this competition where I think we belong,” said City defender Alex Greenwood. “I’m just excited to embrace the challenge.” (See full schedule)

How it works: Introduced in 2025, the League Phase model pits each team against six different opponents in an alternating home-and-away format.

• The top four finishers automatically advance to the quarterfinals, while Nos. 5-12 enter a playoff round to fight for the final four tickets. (See full format)

Tune in: The UWCL League Phase kicks off today at 12:45 PM ET (Paramount+).

Miami set to host FIFA W Champions Cup

The Champions Cup is heading Stateside, as FIFA confirmed plans to bring the second iteration of its global club competition to Miami in January 2027.

• Inter Miami’s Nu Stadium will host the tournament semifinals, bronze medal match, and final, as four teams battle to succeed 2026 winner Arsenal.

• “The excitement surrounding this competition is already growing, and we know the second edition will be bigger and better than the first,” said FIFA Chief Football Officer Jill Ellis. (See full report)

Setting the field: No NWSL clubs will feature in the event, with Mexico’s Club América representing the region after winning May’s Concacaf W Champions Cup.

• América will be joined by reigning UWCL champion Barcelona, alongside this year’s Conmebol Libertadores Femenina winner, and one additional club from Asia or Africa. (See full format)

Quote of the day

WNBA icon Lisa Leslie
after the LA Sparks unveiled her towering statue at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday.