2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup: Full guide to schedule, format, how to watch, and prize details
The 2025 WNBA season is already in full swing, and with it comes one of the league's most exciting in-season events, the Commissioner's Cup, now returning for its fifth consecutive year.
The competition brings added stakes to early-season matchups, featuring a blend of high-intensity basketball, conference rivalries, and a substantial prize pool.
— WNBA (@WNBA)
What is the Commissioner's Cup?
The Commissioner's Cup, presented by Coinbase, is an in-season tournament that runs within the WNBA regular season. Its structure is designed to amplify early-season competition by turning select intraconference games into Cup-qualifying matchups.
These games not only count toward the Commissioner's Cup standings but also toward each team's official WNBA record.
36 total games will be played across the Cup window.
The tournament spans Sunday, June 1 to Tuesday, June 17, 2025.
Each team plays only intraconference opponents during Cup play.
Eastern Conference teams (6 in total) each play 5 games.
Western Conference teams (7 in total) each play 6 games.
Game locations are pre-balanced:
Eastern teams will play either three games at home and two away, or two at home and three away.
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Western teams will each play three home games and three away games.
The two teams with the best Commissioner's Cup records in each conference will meet in the Championship Game for the title, prize money, and bragging rights.
Prize pool & crypto bonus
At the heart of the Commissioner's Cup is a $500,000 prize pool, a significant incentive for players and teams. The WNBA has continued its partnership with Coinbase, which adds a
cryptocurrency
component to the mix:
Coinbase will contribute an additional $120,000 in cryptocurrency to the pool.
This includes a guaranteed $5,000 in crypto for each player participating in the championship game.
These earnings are on top of any contractual salaries and bonuses players may already receive, and they underscore the league's push to reward in-season performance meaningfully.
Championship game details
The 2025 Commissioner's Cup Championship Game will be held on:
Date: Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Host: The team with the best winning percentage in Cup play
Stakes: A combined $500,000 cash and $120,000 in cryptocurrency
The game serves as the final showdown between the top team from the Eastern Conference and the top team from the Western Conference, based solely on their performance during the Commissioner's Cup schedule (not the overall league standings).
Recap: What happened last year?
In 2024, the Minnesota Lynx emerged as the Commissioner's Cup champions, defeating the New York Liberty in the title game. However, the Liberty would later turn the tables by beating the Lynx in the 2024 WNBA Finals, showing just how competitive and unpredictable the league has become.
That narrative has only heightened expectations for the 2025 edition. With parity across both conferences and young talent emerging throughout the league, the title is truly up for grabs.
How to watch: Full broadcast and streaming breakdown
Coverage of the 2025 Commissioner's Cup will span multiple broadcast partners, ensuring fans across the U.S. (and internationally via WNBA League Pass) can follow the action live.
TV Channels:
ABC
CBS
CBS Sports Network (CBSSN)
ESPN
ION
NBA TV
Live Streaming Options:
Amazon Prime Video (exclusive for some games)
Fubo
Sling
Paramount+
WNBA League Pass (comprehensive coverage of all games)
Note: Certain games are exclusive to individual platforms like Prime or ESPN3, so viewers are encouraged to check local and digital listings to ensure access to specific matchups.
Full 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup game schedule
Commissioner's Cup action will start on Sunday, June 1, and end on Tuesday, June 17. The championship game will be played on Tuesday, July 1.
You can see the full schedule for the Commissioner's Cup below.
Note: All times in Eastern Time (ET)
Date
Game
Time (ET)
TV/Live stream
June 1
Sun at Liberty
3 p.m.
WNBA League Pass
Mercury at Sparks
6 p.m.
WNBA League Pass
Aces at Storm
6 p.m.
WNBA League Pass
Lynx at Valkyries
8:30 p.m.
WNBA League Pass
June 3
Mystics at Fever
7 p.m.
NBA TV,
Sling
Mercury at Lynx
8 p.m.
ESPN3,
Sling
Wings at Storm
9:30 p.m.
ESPN,
Sling
June 5
Liberty at Mystics
7:30 p.m.
Prime
Valkyries at Mercury
10 p.m.
Prime
June 6
Dream at Sun
7:30 p.m.
ION,
Fubo
Sparks at Wings
9:30 p.m.
ION,
Fubo
June 7
Aces at Valkyries
3 p.m.
ABC,
Sling
Fever at Sky
8 p.m.
CBS,
Fubo
,
Paramount+
Storm at Mercury
10 p.m.
WNBA League Pass
June 8
Sun at Mystics
3 p.m.
WNBA League Pass
Lynx at Wings
4 p.m.
WNBA League Pass
June 9
Valkyries at Sparks
10 p.m.
WNBA League Pass
June 10
Fever at Dream
7:30 p.m.
ESPN3,
Sling
Sky at Liberty
8 p.m.
ESPN,
Sling
June 11
Sparks at Aces
10 p.m.
CBSSN,
Fubo
Wings at Mercury
10 p.m.
WNBA League Pass
Lynx at Storm
10 p.m.
WNBA League Pass
June 13
Sky at Dream
7:30 p.m.
ION,
Fubo
Wings at Aces
10 p.m.
ION,
Fubo
June 14
Sparks at Lynx
1 p.m.
CBS,
Fubo
,
Paramount+
Liberty at Fever
3 p.m.
ABC,
Sling
Storm at Valkyries
8:30 p.m.
WNBA League Pass
June 15
Sky at Sun
Noon
CBS,
Fubo
,
Paramount+
Dream at Mystics
2 p.m.
CBSSN,
Fubo
Mercury at Aces
6 p.m.
WNBA League Pass
June 17
Sun at Fever
7 p.m.
NBA TV,
Sling
Dream at Liberty
7 p.m.
WNBA League Pass
Mystics at Sky
8 p.m.
WNBA League Pass
Valkyries at Wings
8 p.m.
WNBA League Pass
Aces at Lynx
8 p.m.
WNBA League Pass
Storm at Sparks
10 p.m.
NBA TV,
Sling
(Table: WNBA)
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