Nov 1, 2026
Africa Front
CBS Sports

2026 WNBA Finals: Game 6 venue up in the air for Dream vs. Valkyries with State Farm Arena already booked

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2026 WNBA Finals: Game 6 venue up in the air for Dream vs. Valkyries with State Farm Arena already booked

The Atlanta Hawks are scheduled to play at State Farm Arena on Thursday night, which leaves the Dream scrambling for an alternative

The Golden State Valkyries held off the Atlanta Dream's comeback attempt on Saturday to secure a 67-62 win in Game 4 of the 2026 WNBA Finals. The result evened the series at 2-2 and ensured that the series will return to Atlanta for Game 6 -- though where, specifically, remains to be seen. 

The location for Game 6 on Thursday is still officially listed as "TBD" on the schedule due to a conflict with State Farm Arena. The Atlanta Hawks, State Farm Arena's primary tenant, are scheduled to host the Cleveland Cavaliers that night. Tip-off for the Hawks game is set for 7 p.m. ET, while tip-off for Game 6 is set for 8 p.m. ET. 

Obviously, State Farm Arena cannot host two games at the same time, which means one or both of the games will have to be adjusted. The WNBA did not have an update to share when reached for comment by CBS Sports. 

"We are waiting to hear from the league if any changes can be made to allow us to play in State Farm Arena. If not, the game will be played in Gateway Center Arena," a Dream spokesperson told ESPN. 

Gateway Center Arena in College Park, the Dream's primary home, is the league's smallest venue, with a capacity of just 3,500. That is not an ideal setting for a Finals game -- or any playoff game -- and the Dream have played all five of their postseason contests at State Farm Arena. That included Games 3 and 4 of the Finals, which had to be moved due to other conflicts. Game 3 was moved from Oct. 22 to Oct. 21 to avoid a Sombr concert, while Game 4 was moved up to 1 p.m. ET to accommodate the Hawks' home opener against the Houston Rockets on Saturday; the NBA game was shifted back to 8:30 p.m. ET. 

There is less flexibility for both parties moving forward, however, so it's still unclear what will happen with Game 6. Here's a closer look at the options:

  • Move Game 6 to Wednesday: This is not possible because the Hawks are also at home that night against the Miami Heat.
  • Move the Hawks-Cavaliers game to Friday: The Hawks also play on Wednesday, but are off on Friday before playing again on Saturday. The Cavaliers, the Hawks' opponent on Thursday, are also off Friday before playing again on Saturday. State Farm Arena has an open date for Friday, but Friday nights are supposed to be NBA Cup exclusive games. 
  • Move the Hawks-Cavaliers game to Cleveland: Could the NBA, the Hawks and the Cavaliers agree to reverse Thursday's fixture and play it in Cleveland? The idea has been considered, per ESPN, but, like moving the Hawks-Cavaliers game to Friday, would create major logistical issues that multiple franchises, the NBA and broadcast partners would have to sign off on. 
  • Play a doubleheader: The Dream and Hawks played a doubleheader at State Farm on Saturday. Could they do it again on Thursday? Again, the Hawks play on Wednesday, so they could not turn around and play on Thursday afternoon. Thus, any doubleheader would require Game 6 to be played in the afternoon, and the WNBA is reportedly not fond of having a weekday matinee Finals game. 
  • Play Game 6 at Gateway Center: This is the easiest solution. It would not be ideal to host Game 6 of the Finals at a 3,500-seat venue, but Gateway Center is the Dream's primary home and there would be no logistical challenges. 
  • Play Game 6 at another arena in Atlanta: The Dream could try to move Game 6 to another venue in Atlanta. But where? Gas South Arena holds 13,000, but has a concert scheduled for Thursday. McCamish Pavilion on Georgia Tech's campus -- where the Dream played for two seasons from 2017-18 -- holds 8,600 and has an open date on Thursday. The Georgia State Convocation Center holds 7,500 and appears to have an open date on Thursday as well. Those would be the two best options if the WNBA and the Dream want a bigger crowd, but the Dream haven't played at either venue this season. Would they want to play the biggest game of their season at an unfamiliar venue? 
  • Make a major adjustment to the Finals schedule: A radical option would be to shift Game 6 to Friday, which is an open date on the State Farm calendar, and then move Game 7, if necessary, to Tuesday, Nov. 3 at Chase Center in San Francisco. This would potentially mean three days off between both Games 5 and 6 and Games 6 and 7, however. The WNBA would reportedly support this proposal, but it would require sign-off from both teams as well as other partners, and the Valkyries have raised concerns. 

    • After Game 4, Angel Reese made it clear that she hopes the WNBA can find a way to get Game 6 at State Farm Arena. Here's her exchange with a reporter during the postgame press conference:

    Question: It took quite a bit to get these Games 3 and 4 moved here, and now that you know you will need a Game 6, what's your hope or expectation of what that would look like coming back to Atlanta?

    Reese: Just them showing up again. The fan support here has been amazing. We appreciate the love and support and everybody coming out. And being able to force a Game 6 at least. Being able to come here and play in front of the home crowd again would be amazing.

    Question: Here or Gateway?

    Reese: Here

    Question: It took quite a bit to get these Games 3 and 4 moved here, and now that you know you will need a Game 6, what's your hope or expectation of what that would look like coming back to Atlanta?

    Reese: Just them showing up again. The fan support here has been amazing. We appreciate the love and support and everybody coming out. And being able to force a Game 6 at least. Being able to come here and play in front of the home crowd again would be amazing.

    Question: Here or Gateway?

    Reese: Here

    Earlier this month, the Dream announced a multi-year deal to play all home games at State Farm Arena, starting with the 2027 season, thereby avoiding any such conflicts in the future. Unfortunately for them, that doesn't solve the Game 6 dilemma. 

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