Race charts for every WNBA season from 1997 to 2026, 30 seasons in all: every conference race and playoff chase, each a day by day graph of games above .500 on one scale. Pick any season from the menu above.
The dashed line on the chart is the pace of the final playoff spot. The playoff places are settled, so these numbers are about the race for first place, not about the dashed line. A magic number counts what would settle the race. The leader needs that many wins of its own, losses by second place, or any mix of the two. An E number is the same count for a team below, measured against the leader. Reach it and that team's chase is over.
Clinch key
x
clinched a playoff place
p
clinched the top seed
o
eliminated from the postseason
Turning points
The lead has changed hands 17 times.
The Atlanta Dream trailed by as many as 1.5 games on August 16, 2026.
The Atlanta Dream have led alone since September 19, 2026.
The magic number is 1: any mix of 1 more wins for the Atlanta Dream and losses for the Indiana Fever puts the race beyond reach.
Nobody has gained ground on the Atlanta Dream since August 22, 2026.
The New York Liberty won 8 games in a row from May 27, 2026 to June 17, 2026, the longest run of the race.
The Indiana Fever led by 1.5 games as late as August 19, 2026.
The Atlanta Dream went 7-1 from August 19, 2026 to September 21, 2026, turning a deficit of 1.5 games into a lead of 1.5 games. That stretch runs either side of the World Cup break.
The Atlanta Dream have spent 84 of the season's 137 charted days so far in first place.