The first Game 7 in WNBA history: How to watch Valkyries vs. Dream Finals showdown

The Game 7 winner will go down in history as its franchise's first-ever champion.

The 2026 WNBA Finals will come down to the first Game 7 in postseason history.

The No. 2-seeded Golden State Valkyries face the No. 4 Atlanta Dream in Game 7 of the Finals this weekend at "Ballhalla," Chase Center in San Francisco. The winner will go down in history as its franchise's first-ever champion.

There has never been a Game 7 in WNBA playoff history. The Finals format was changed last year from best of five to best of seven. There have been 13 winner-take-all games in Finals history, most recently in 2024 when the New York Liberty defeated the Minnesota Lynx in a Game 5 to earn their first championship. The home team has won 11 of those 13 decisive Finals games, according to ESPN.

The Valkyries return to the friendly confines of Ballhalla after failing to close out the series on the road in Game 6. In a Finals that's been mostly defined by defense, the Dream's offense showed up in a big way in the elimination game as Atlanta raced out to a 25-point first-half lead en route to an 80-69 victory.

The Dream shot over 43% from both the field and 3-point range in Game 6, with Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard combining for nine triples and 44 points. And while Atlanta lost the turnover battle for the third straight game, this time by a 15-10 margin, the Dream still managed to outscore the Valkyries 18-12 in points off turnovers.

Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase speaks to reporters following Golden State’s 80-69 loss to the Atlanta Dream in Game 6 on Thursday at State Farm Arena.

It's been a back-and-forth series between the two of the league's top defensive squads. Golden State took Game 1 before Atlanta responded with two straight wins. The Valkyries then reclaimed control of the series and put the Dream on the ropes with two consecutive victories of their own, but Atlanta staved off elimination in Game 6.

Now, there's 40 minutes of basketball left in the WNBA season to determine a champion -- will the Valkyries or Dream come out on top? Here's how to watch the first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history: