WNBA playoff race intensifies as stars return from World Cup

3 sources • 2 min read • Latest: Sep 18, 2026, 9:31 AM

Last updated Sep 18, 2026

WNBA playoff race intensifies as stars return from World Cup
Summary

The WNBA resumes as key players, fresh from winning a World Cup championship in Berlin, return to their teams. With only a few games left before the playoffs, teams jockey for better seeding. Expert Sabreena Merchant invites fans to submit questions regarding championship predictions, surprise team prospects, and MVP contenders for her upcoming analysis.

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Status Watch
  • •WNBA players participate in World Cup before returning to league action.
  • •Playoff seeds are still up for grabs with games remaining.
  • •Expert analysis on championship and MVP questions will follow this week.
  • •Fans encouraged to submit WNBA-related questions for expert insight.
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  • 6:46 PMYahoo Sports — WNBA mailbag: Send in your questions
What they're saying
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Our long, national nightmare is over. Well, I guess it only lasted 17 days, but WNBA games are back after a break that allowed Team USA to win a fifth gold medal at the World Cup. Starting Friday, each team has a four-game sprint to close the regular season, followed by what figures to be the most wide-open playoffs in recent memory. We asked for your questions, and you had plenty on the playoff picture. Let’s get into it. (Questions have been lightly edited for length and clarity.) What are the

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The WNBA is back, but for certain franchises, it may already be time to look ahead to 2027. Seven teams are out of the playoffs and aren’t exactly pushing for wins over the final four games of the 2026 campaign. Several players are already ruled out with injury, and some may not return following the World Cup. We asked for your questions about the end of the regular season and the upcoming offseason, as well as any lingering thoughts on this year’s world championship. Let’s get into it. (And che

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The WNBA returns to action after some of its stars won a World Cup championship in Berlin this week. With only a few games left before the playoffs, seeds are still up for grabs. It should be a fascinating final stretch. Who’s destined to win the championship? Which team could be a surprise? Who will win MVP? Our expert, Sabreena Merchant, is ready for your WNBA questions. Submit them in the comment section, and she’ll give you her takes later this week. This article originally appeared in The A

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