‘Ballhalla Better Be Prepping’: Where to Cheer on the Valkyries in the WNBA Finals
The Golden State Valkyries have made it to the 2026 Women’s National Basketball Association Finals in their second year ever.
And they’re stunningly close to fulfilling owner Joe Lacob’s request to coach Natalie Nakase to win a championship in the first five years.
It’s been an exhilarating season for the Valkyries — now the most valuable team in the league — and its passionate fanbase that turns homecourt Chase Center into “Ballhalla.” And the stakes just got higher when the Valkyries won 3 games out of 5 against defending champions, the Las Vegas Aces.
(It’s worth noting that this outcome was very much not expected by sports commentators. As Valkyries forward Gabby Williams said during a post-game conference, “We about to have some bandwagoners.”)
In fact, this year will be the first WNBA finals since 2021 without either the Las Vegas Aces or the New York Liberty — both knocked out during the semifinals. Instead, the Valkyries will be going up against the Atlanta Dream, who also won three games out of five. The Dream have also never won a championship and are hungry for it — especially with WNBA star Angel Reese taking the stage.
Nakase rallied the fans during an interview during a Valkyries practice this week.
“Ballhalla better be prepping for a game plan. As soon as [the Atlanta Dream] is announced, I need some hostility,” Nakase said. “If they are shooting free throws, I need that thing to be rocking.”
“We definitely gotta use Ballhalla’s essence,” she said.
Keep reading to find out where you can cheer on the Valkyries and how you can follow the WNBA finals this month. And if you’re entirely new to the whole basketball thing, don’t worry: We got you. KQED has a guide to joining the WNBA fandom in the Bay and what to know about the Valkyries’ inaugural year.
First, when is the Valkyries game this weekend?
The Valkyries will play the Atlanta Dream at Chase Center in Game 1 of the WNBA finals on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 12:30 p.m.
Remind me: How do the WNBA finals work?
WNBA finals are a best-of-7 format — meaning Game 5, 6 and 7 may not happen if one team sweeps the first four.
After Saturday’s Game 1, the schedule is as follows:
- Oct. 19 at 5 p.m. (home)
- Oct. 21 at 5 p.m. (away)
- Oct. 24 at 10 a.m. (away)
- Oct. 26 at 5 p.m. (home)
- Oct. 29 at 5 p.m. (away)
- Oct. 31 at 5 p.m. (home)
After pushback from WNBA fans and even Valkyries owner Lacob, the Atlanta Dream will now be playing their first two home games at the State Farm Arena, which can seat more than 17,000 people, rather than its much smaller regular venue in College Park.
Where can I watch the WNBA playoff games?
How to watch the games online
The WNBA website has a list of ways to watch each game, since this can change for specific matches. For the finals, it’s primarily Peacock/NBC, USA and CNBC.
You can also get access to these channels through platforms like YouTube TV, Fubo and the WNBA League Pass.
How to watch the game in person
KQED has a thorough guide on how to attend a Valkyries game at Chase Center, including transportation, parking and bag policy. Keep in mind that if you are driving into San Francisco, over a mile of Highway 101 southbound is closed this weekend.
Finals tickets are available on the Valkyries’ website. The guaranteed games at Chase Center are Saturday, Oct. 17 and Monday, Oct. 19. But expect higher-than-usual price tags — for Saturday, the tickets range from $223 to over $1,300.
If necessary, the next games played at home will be on Monday, Oct. 26 and Saturday, Oct. 31.
If you do end up attending in person, get ready to be loud. Ballhalla is already known as the loudest WNBA fandom around, sometimes even known as the team’s “sixth man” on court.
How to watch the game at a bar
For away games, there’ll be watch parties inside Chase Center. According to the Valkyries’ Instagram account, tickets for these events will go live on Thursday.
But even if you don’t have tickets to Chase Center, you can still enjoy the vibes of Ballhalla at plenty of spots across the Bay, as detailed in KQED’s guide to the WNBA season — which also includes a map from sports journalist Maya Goldberg-Safir of key places to meet other fans.
(Remember: If you’re going to watch at a sports bar, be sure to get there at least an hour and a half early. Rooms get packed very quickly.)
Highlights include:
- Valkyries Tailgate on Saturday at Chase Center in San Francisco
- Events hosted by ValQueeries
- Events hosted by The People’s Watch Party
- Events hosted by Hysteria
- Rikki’s in San Francisco
- Hi Tops in San Francisco
- Mother in San Francisco
- Standard Deviant Brewing in San Francisco
- Valley Tavern in San Francisco
- Providence Night Club in San Francisco
- Woodbury Bar in San Francisco
- Skylark in San Francisco
- George & Walt’s in Oakland
- Xingones Cantina in Oakland
- Oakland Athletic Club in Oakland
- Understory in Oakland
- Barebottle Brewing Company in Santa Clara
- Rookie’s Sports Lodge in San José
The team’s own website also has a list of bars in the Bay to go to for Valkyries games.
And if you have time, swing by “Boohalla” — a Valkyries-themed Halloween display in San Francisco’s Inner Richmond district, featuring “Natalie NaCauldron” and “G. Wicked Williams.”