Overview:
The Dallas Wings have released their 2026 regular-season schedule, which includes 44 games from May to September. The team will play three regular-season contests at American Airlines Center and will also host select games at College Park Center in Arlington. The Wings will face two new franchises, the Portland Fire and the Toronto Tempo, and will play four-game season series against Western Conference opponents Seattle and Minnesota. The team will also compete in the Commissioner’s Cup, with play running from June 1 through June 17. The Wings enter the season with a new head coach, Jose Fernandez, and will build around guard Paige Bueckers, who won WNBA Rookie of the Year honors.
The Dallas Wings enter the 2026 season positioned as one of the league’s most closely watched franchises — on and off the court.
The WNBA released its 2026 regular-season schedule Wednesday, outlining a 44-game slate running from May through September. The campaign featured 24 year-old Houston native and rapper Monaleo (b. Leondra Roshawn Gay-Caldwell), showcasing the entertainer art the Wings’ “Chief Turnt Officer” in the rollout.
Shortly after, the Wings unveiled their full calendar, highlighted by three games at American Airlines Center, expansion matchups and a season that begins a new chapter under a first-year head coach.
The schedule was revealed across the team’s social platforms with help from Houston rapper Monaleo, who appeared in a promotional video announcing the dates and opponents. The collaboration reflected the Wings’ continued effort to connect basketball with broader regional culture as interest in the team continues to rise across North Texas.
Dallas opens its 11th season in the region on the road, tipping off against the Indiana Fever on Saturday, May 9, at noon CT. The Wings return home three days later to begin their home slate at College Park Center in Arlington, hosting the Atlanta Dream on May 12 at 7 p.m.
That game opens a three-game homestand, with the Minnesota Lynx visiting May 14 and the Washington Mystics following May 18, both scheduled for 7 p.m. tipoffs.
American Airlines Center Returns to the Schedule
For the second straight season, the Wings will host select games at American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas. The team will play three regular-season contests at AAC in 2026:
● Sunday, July 12, vs. Chicago Sky — 6 p.m.
● Friday, Aug. 7, vs. Golden State Valkyries — 8:30 p.m.
● Thursday, Aug. 20, vs. Indiana Fever — 7 p.m.
The Fever matchup returns after Dallas and Indiana drew a sellout crowd of 20,409 at AAC on June 27, 2025. That game set a franchise attendance record, marked the largest crowd in Texas WNBA history and became just the eighth regular-season game in league history to exceed 20,000 fans.
The continued use of AAC reflects the organization’s push to reach a broader audience while maintaining its Arlington home base.
Schedule Structure and Expansion Debuts
Dallas will play four-game season series against Western Conference opponents Seattle and Minnesota, facing each twice at home and twice on the road. The Wings will play three-game series against the remaining 12 teams.
The 2026 season also introduces two new franchises. Dallas will face the Portland Fire for the first time on June 13 in Oregon, followed by the inaugural matchup against the Toronto Tempo on July 5. Toronto will visit College Park Center on Aug. 12, while one of the Wings’ road games against the Tempo will be played at Montreal’s Bell Centre.
Several other scheduling notes include venue relocations, with Dallas’ July 2 game against Connecticut moved to Hartford, Conn., and a July 10 road game against Toronto also played in Montreal.
Commissioner’s Cup and World Cup Break
Commissioner’s Cup play runs from June 1 through June 17, with Dallas opening Cup action at home against Seattle. The championship game is scheduled for June 30.
The league will pause late in the season for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, scheduled for Sept. 4–13 in Germany. No WNBA games will be played between Aug. 31 and Sept. 16. Dallas plays its final game before the break Aug. 30 against Connecticut and resumes play Sept. 17 at home against Los Angeles.
The Wings’ longest homestand spans six games from Aug. 20 through Sept. 19, while their longest road stretch includes four consecutive games in early July.
New Leadership on the Sideline
The 2026 season will be the first under head coach Jose Fernandez, hired in October after a 25-year tenure at the University of South Florida. Fernandez recorded nearly 500 career wins at USF, made 19 postseason appearances and helped guide more than 100 players to professional careers worldwide.
He also brings international experience, having won two gold medals as an assistant coach with USA Basketball’s U18 and U19 national teams.
Built Around Bueckers and the Top Pick
On the roster front, Dallas continues to build around guard Paige Bueckers, who followed her No. 1 overall selection with a standout rookie season that earned WNBA Rookie of the Year honors.
The Wings will also enter the season holding the No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft, marking the second consecutive year the franchise has won the draft lottery. The opportunity to add another top prospect alongside Bueckers places Dallas in a rare position — able to compete in the present while retaining flexibility for the future.
Strong Demand Continues
Off the court, interest remains high. The Wings have sold out season-ticket memberships in back-to-back seasons, including in record time ahead of the 2025 campaign. Limited season tickets remain available for 2026.
2026 Dallas Wings Opponent Breakdown
Atlanta Dream (3) – Home: May 12, July 29 | Away: May 22
Chicago Sky (3) – Home: June 20, July 12 (AAC) | Away: May 20
Connecticut Sun (3) – Home: Aug. 2, Aug. 30 | Away: July 2
Golden State Valkyries (3) – Home: Aug. 7 (AAC) | Away: June 17, Aug. 17
Indiana Fever (3) – Home: Aug. 20 (AAC) | Away: May 9, Aug. 14
Las Vegas Aces (3) – Home: May 28, June 15 | Away: June 25
Los Angeles Sparks (3) – Home: July 19, Sept. 17 | Away: June 5
Minnesota Lynx (4) – Home: May 14, June 28 | Away: June 9, Aug. 9
New York Liberty (3) – Home: July 16 | Away: May 24, July 7
Phoenix Mercury (3) – Home: June 11, Sept. 19 | Away: Sept. 21
Portland Fire (3) – Home: Aug. 25 | Away: June 13, July 22
Seattle Storm (4) – Home: June 1, Aug. 23 | Away: June 22, Sept. 23
Toronto Tempo (3) – Home: Aug. 12 | Away: July 5, July 10
Washington Mystics (3) – Home: May 18 | Away: July 31, Aug. 5
With downtown showcases, expansion opponents, a new head coach and the league’s top draft pick once again in hand, the Wings enter 2026 with clarity and leverage — a franchise no longer introducing itself, but operating with confidence in its direction.
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