NEW YORK — An expanded WNBA with more games and a new franchise will tip off on May 16.
The league extended its schedule to 44 games this year, up from 40, with the addition of the expansion Golden State Valkyries. The new team, which has over 20,000 season ticket deposits, will play its inaugural game at home on opening night against Los Angeles.
The WNBA is coming off a record season with its most-watched regular season in 24 years and playoffs in 25 years. Fans were also flocking to games with the highest attendance in over two decades. Last season’s rookie class, led by the Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark and Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese, was a big reason.
The Sky and the Fever will face off five times with the first coming opening weekend, May 17 in Indianapolis. The Sky’s home opener will be on May 22 against the New York Liberty at Wintrust Arena.
“Every year the anticipation is high when the schedule is released,” new Sky head coach Tyler Marsh said in a statement. “With 44 games on our schedule this season, we have more opportunities to build toward championship contention. Skytown, we promise to give it our all every single night and we will make the city and the fans proud.”
The Fever will host the league’s All-Star Game on July 19.
“We look forward to tipping off the WNBA’s 29th season in May of 2025 and continuing to build on the success of last season, when the WNBA delivered its most-watched Draft and All-Star Game, and set records for viewership, attendance, digital consumption and merchandise sales,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “The upcoming free agency period and the 2025 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm will create a tremendous level of excitement, and we are also looking forward to the expansion Golden State Valkyries taking the court for the first time.”
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The Sky and Valkyries will face off three times this season on June 27, Aug. 1 and Aug. 15.
The Liberty will celebrate their first title with a ring and banner ceremony on May 17 when they host Las Vegas. The Liberty, who beat Minnesota in a decisive fifth game in last season’s championship, will face the Lynx four times with the first meeting coming July 30. The Sky will host the Liberty on May 22 and Sept. 11.
All 13 teams will play the opening weekend.
The WNBA Commissioner’s Cup will be played from June 1-17 with each team in the Eastern Conference having five games and Western Conference teams playing six. The top team from each conference will play on July 1 in the Cup Final.
The regular season ends on Sept. 11 with the expanded playoffs to take place after that. The league switched its format to a best-of-seven finals this year and the opening round will go to a 1-1-1 format with the worse-seeded team hosting Game 2. In the past, the better-seeded team would get the first two games on their home court.
The league will hold its draft on April 14 with UConn star Paige Bueckers expected to go first to the Dallas Wings.
The Sky said Monday that local and national broadcast games, theme night games at Wintrust Arena and 2025 preseason games will be announced at a later date.
2025 Chicago Sky regular season schedule
All dates and times are subject to change.
** = Commissioner’s Cup Games
- Saturday, May 17, at Indiana Fever, 12 p.m.
- Thursday, May 22, vs. New York Liberty, 7 p.m.
- Sunday, May 25, at Las Angeles Sparks, 5 p.m.
- Tuesday, May 27, at Phoenix Mercury, 9 p.m.
- Thursday, May 29, vs. Dallas Wings, 7 p.m.
- Saturday, May 31, at Dallas Wings, 7 p.m.
- **Saturday, June 7, vs. Indiana Fever, 7 p.m.
- **Tuesday, June 10, at New York Liberty, 7 p.m.
- **Friday, June 13, at Atlanta Dream, 6:30 p.m.
- **Sunday, June 15, at Connecticut Sun, 11 a.m.
- **Tuesday, June 17, vs. Washington Mystics, 7 p.m.
- Saturday, June 21, vs. Phoenix Mercury, 12 p.m.
- Sunday, June 22, at Atlanta Dream, 2 p.m.
- Tuesday, June 24, vs. Las Angeles Sparks, 7 p.m.
- Friday, June 27, at Golden State Valkyries, 9 p.m.
- Sunday, June 29, at Las Angeles Sparks, 5 p.m.
- Sunday, July 6, at Minnesota Lynx, 6 p.m.
- Tuesday, July 8, at Washington Mystics, 10:30 a.m.
- Wednesday, July 9, vs. Dallas Wings, 7 p.m.
- Saturday, July 12, vs. Minnesota Lynx, 12 p.m.
- Monday, July 14, vs. Minnesota Lynx, 7 p.m.
- Wednesday, July 16, vs. Atlanta Dream, 11 a.m.
- Tuesday, July 22, at Minnesota Lynx, 7 p.m.
- Thursday, July 24, vs. Seattle Storm, 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, July 26, vs. Indiana Fever, 2 p.m.
- Tuesday, July 29, at Washington Mystics, 6:30 p.m.
- Friday, Aug. 1, vs. Golden State Valkyries, 6:30 p.m.
- Sunday, Aug. 3, vs. Phoenix Mercury, 5 p.m.
- Tuesday, Aug. 5, vs. Washington Mystics, 7 p.m.
- Thursday, Aug. 7, vs. Atlanta Dream, 7 p.m.
- Saturday, Aug. 9, at Indiana Fever, 7 p.m.
- Wednesday, Aug. 13, at Connecticut Sun, 6 p.m.
- Friday, Aug. 15, vs. Golden State Valkyries, 6:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, Aug. 19, vs. Seattle Storm, 7 p.m.
- Thursday, Aug. 21, at New York Liberty, 6 p.m.
- Saturday, Aug. 23, vs. Connecticut Sun, 4 p.m.
- Monday, Aug. 25, vs. Las Vegas Aces, 7 p.m.
- Thursday, Aug. 28, at Phoenix Mercury, 9 p.m.
- Saturday, Aug. 30, at Seattle Storm, 8 p.m.
- Wednesday, Sept. 3, vs. Connecticut Sun, 7 p.m.
- Friday, Sept. 5, at Indiana Fever, 6:30 p.m.
- Sunday, Sept. 7, at Las Vegas Aces, 8 p.m.
- Tuesday, Sept. 9, at Las Vegas Aces, 9 p.m.
- Thursday, Sept. 11, vs. New York Liberty, 7 p.m.