The Atlanta Dream will play games 3 and 4 of the WNBA Finals at State Farm Arena, the only appropriate conclusion after days of worry the team would be forced to play at Gateway Center Arena. Though the Dream played most of their 2026 games at Gateway, the venue can only hold 3,500 fans — a far cry from the 17,000 or so that can fill State Farm.
The WNBA announced Tuesday the games will be played on October 21 and October 24. The league appears to have worked in coordination with the Atlanta Hawks, who have their own home games being played in the arena, to make the shift happen.
“We are grateful for the efforts made by numerous stakeholders, including the Dream, the Valkyries, the Hawks, State Farm Arena, and NBC Sports and USA Sports,” said Cathy Engelbert in a statement. “The change of venue dramatically expands the seating capacity and ensures that the Dream will be able to provide an extraordinary atmosphere for the first WNBA Finals game to be played in the Atlanta market since 2013. We are pleased that thousands more fans across the Southeast region will have the opportunity to experience the ultimate WNBA action – the WNBA Finals – in person.”
The arena question was about more than the WNBA Finals
The question of where the Dream would host the games was first and foremost about what the team deserves. Atlanta hasn't made it to the WNBA Finals since 2013, and this year's roster has the potential to absolutely win it all. The Dream has seen a 400% increase in game attendance in the last few years, and the team deserved to be able to show off their fans, their floor, and their home in the best possible way. The team will begin playing at State Farm next year, and winning the championship ahead of that leap would be the best possible era to fully usher in what's already an incredible revival of Atlanta Dream basketball.
But the question of where the teams would play games three and four was also about more than one, or even two, WNBA teams. It was also about more than this specific set of WNBA Finals games. The question was really about the WNBA: in a time when the league is still fighting for legitimacy in the eyes of some, and when detractors pounce on any opportunity to make a mockery of women who play professional basketball, the best teams deserve to play in the best circumstances.
The Gateway Center Arena has been the Dream's home since 2021, and, hopefully, it will find a new life after the team begins playing at State Farm Arena fulltime next season.
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