Valkyries-Dream matchup continues to be most-watched in league history

The 2026 WNBA Finals between the Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream has been one of the most-viewed, most-watched series in league history.

And during Game 4 the league saw viewership peak to 2.5 million spectators during the Valkyries' 67-62 win against the Dream at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday, Oct. 24.

The game tipped off early in the afternoon. The 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) game time start managed to produce an average Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 1.9 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, making it the most-watched WNBA Finals Game 4 in the league's history, the league said in a news release.

The league's viewership is up 32%, compared to last year's Game 4 between the Las Vegas Aces and Phoenix Mercury when the Aces clinched the 2025 WNBA title in a 97-86 win, based on official Nielsen Big Data and Panel and digital data from Adobe Analytics. The Aces-Mercury Game 4 elimination game drew in 1.44 million viewers on ESPN.

San Francisco and Atlanta lead the top local market viewership ratings. San Francisco viewership rating is 3.97, while Atlanta is 2.80. Rounding the top five is New Orleans (2.54), Oklahoma City (2.08) and Richmond (1.91).

For further comparison, the audience of 1.9 million viewers is up 14% compared to Game 4 of the 2024 WNBA Finals between the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx which racked up 1.67 million viewers on ESPN on Oct. 18.

Golden State Valkyries, Atlanta Dream battle in WNBA Finals Game 4

NBC Sports has been making rounds in its return to the WNBA since 2002.

NBC Sports averaged a total audience delivery of 1.8 million viewers for its seven regular-season games on NBC and Peacock. That figure is up 35% when you compare it to similar coverage last season.

NBC Sports averaged two million viewers for its two-game WNBA Finals coverage during Games 1 and 4. That viewership is up 20% from last year's Games 1 and 4 with the Aces and Mercury.

Fans are tuning in early for the entire broadcast, not just the fourth quarter. Coverage of Game 1 of the WNBA Finals, which began at 3:30 p.m. ET on Oct. 17, averaged 2.1 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, becoming the most-watched WNBA Finals Game 1 in league history.

NBC had WNBA coverage for a semifinal game and two Finals games and averaged 1.7 million viewers, the most-watched WNBA playoff average for any network, since 2000.

The Valkyries continue to be a common theme when it comes to most-watched games or broadcasts. Game 1 of the WNBA semifinals between the Aces and Valkyries on Oct. 4 averaged 1.12 million viewers . It was the third-most-watched semifinals Game 1 ever.

How to watch 2026 WNBA Finals: Valkyries-Dream in Game 6

The 2026 WNBA Finals continue on Thursday, Oct. 29 with Game 6 between the Valkyries and the Dream as Golden State, currently leading the series 3-2, looks to clinch its first ever WNBA championship.

Here's how to watch the Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream in Game 6 of the 2026 WNBA Finals:

Where: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia

Time: Tip-off begins at 12:30 p.m. ET / 9:30 a.m. PT