State Farm Arena Takes Games 3 and 4 of the WNBA Finals

Photo: WNBA.com. Official Angel Reese headshot, Atlanta Dream.

The Atlanta Dream will host Games 3 and 4 of the 2026 WNBA Finals at State Farm Arena after the league, the Hawks, and the club cleared the building that sat blocked for every Atlanta Finals date a day earlier. The WNBA posted the schedule change Tuesday. Game 3 tips Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 8 p.m. ET on USA Network, one day earlier than the original Thursday plan. Game 4 stays Saturday, Oct. 24, but moves from 3:30 p.m. to a 1 p.m. ET tip, per the WNBA, so the Hawks can play their home opener at 8:30 p.m. the same night.

State Farm seats 17,044, per ESPN. Gateway Center Arena, where the Dream thought they were stuck as of Sunday, seats 3,500. That is a jump of more than 13,000 seats for the two Atlanta dates.

How the calendar cracked open

As of Oct. 11, USA TODAY and ESPN both reported that talks to move Finals home games off Gateway had failed. A Sombr concert owned Oct. 22. Hawks dates owned Oct. 24 and Oct. 29. Gas South Arena (up to 13,000) and Georgia Tech's McCamish Pavilion (8,600) had already been checked and stalled.

Tuesday's fix is a one-day shift plus a matinee. Pull Game 3 to Wednesday and the concert conflict disappears. Tip Game 4 at 1 p.m. and the Hawks still get State Farm for their opener, which moves from 8 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., per USA TODAY. Zach Klein of WSB reported the swap. The Dream account then told Atlanta to meet them at State Farm for Games 3 and 4.

The Dream know State Farm

The Dream played six regular-season games and three postseason games at State Farm this year, per USA TODAY.

Chase Center, where the Golden State Valkyries host Games 1, 2, 5 and 7, seats 18,064, per ESPN. A concert scheduled for Oct. 19, the date of Game 2, was moved so the Valkyries could stay at Chase. Games 3 and 4 now match the scale of Games 1 and 2.

Atlanta is 0-9 all-time in Finals games and had not reached this round since 2013. The Valkyries are in the Finals in year two.

The 2027 line that flipped in a day

On Oct. 6 the Dream announced a multi-year deal to make State Farm their home starting in 2027, when the WNBA moves to a 50-game schedule and State Farm hosts the Dream's 25 home games. Sunday's reporting had the Finals arriving one season too early for that arrangement. Tuesday's schedule update puts two of the three Atlanta Finals dates inside the building that becomes home next year.

Game 1 tips at Chase Center on Oct. 17. A potential Game 6 on Thursday, Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. ET is still scheduled at Gateway, and USA TODAY reported that more discussions could reassess that venue.

Sources:

• WNBA on X: Schedule Update — Games 3 and 4 at State Farm Arena. Oct 13, 2026.
• WNBA Communications on X: Games 3 and 4 Oct. 21 and 24 at State Farm Arena. Oct 13, 2026.
• Atlanta Dream on X: Meet us at State Farm Arena for Game 3 and Game 4. Oct 13, 2026.
• Zach Klein / WSB on X: Dream Games 3 and 4 at State Farm; Game 3 Wednesday 8 p.m.; Game 4 Saturday 1 p.m.. Oct 13, 2026.
• USA TODAY: Atlanta Dream move WNBA Finals home games to larger State Farm Arena. Meghan L. Hall. Oct 13, 2026.
• USA TODAY: Atlanta Dream unable to secure larger venue for WNBA Finals games. Meghan L. Hall. Oct 11, 2026.
• ESPN: Location of Dream home games for WNBA Finals still uncertain. Michael Voepel. Oct 11, 2026.
• Photo: WNBA.com. Official Angel Reese headshot, Atlanta Dream.