WNBA Season Opener 2026: Mystics Rally Past Tempo In Close Debut Night

Opening night in the WNBA featured a narrow win for the Washington Mystics, a dominant display by the New York Liberty and a strong debut by the Golden State Valkyries, as three franchises opened their seasons with contrasting performances across the league.

Washington survived a tense finish to defeat Toronto 68-65, denying the Tempo a winning start in the franchise’s first WNBA game. Shakira Austin sank four late free throws, including two with 18 seconds left and two more with 11 seconds remaining, to protect the Mystics’ slim lead.

Sonia Citron led Washington with 26 points, while Austin supplied 18 points and 11 rebounds in an influential outing. Kiki Iriafen added 12 points and 16 rebounds, giving the Mystics a major advantage inside as Toronto struggled to match Washington’s presence on the glass.

Marina Mabrey tried to pull Toronto back with 27 points and Brittney Sykes contributed 14, yet the Tempo’s shooting troubles proved decisive. Toronto converted only 17 of 63 field-goal attempts and went 5 of 25 from beyond the arc, limiting any late comeback opportunities.

In Brooklyn, Breanna Stewart powered the Liberty to a 106-75 victory over the Connecticut Sun, recording 31 points and 10 rebounds. Marine Johannes backed up that display with 17 points, helping New York ease through the second half against a fading Connecticut defence.

The Liberty victory came without several important players. Sabrina Ionescu missed the WNBA season opener because of a left foot injury sustained on 3 May in a preseason meeting with the Sun. Free-agent signings Rebecca Allen, with a left leg injury, and Satou Sabally, who has a cyst, were also sidelined.

WNBA season opener: Golden State Valkyries outshoot Seattle Storm

The Golden State Valkyries began their WNBA season opener with a 91-80 win over the Seattle Storm, driven by strong perimeter shooting. Janelle Salaun scored 20 points and matched a career best with five three-pointers, while Veronica Burton added 16 points in a balanced attack.

Kaitlyn Chen provided all 14 of Chen’s points after halftime and Kayla Thornton finished with 13, as Golden State built a 49-41 lead at the break and extended it to 69-53 after three quarters. Seven Valkyries players hit at least one three-pointer, and the team finished 15 of 37 from long range.

The three WNBA season opener results highlighted different paths to victory, from Washington’s late-game composure to New York’s depth without injured stars and Golden State’s perimeter strength, giving early indicators of styles and strengths that could shape the coming campaign.