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The WNBA is set to make history in 2025 with a record 44-game regular season. This exciting development kicks off on Friday, May 16, when the Golden State Valkyries make their home debut. The league's full schedule was released on Monday, bringing with it additional games and new challenges.

Commissioner's Vision and Success

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert expressed excitement about tipping off the 29th season in May 2025. The league delivered its most-watched Draft and All-Star Game last season, setting records in viewership, attendance, digital consumption, and merchandise sales. This momentum is set to continue as teams gear up for an action-packed year.The opening weekend of the 2025 season is packed with thrilling matchups. The Indiana Fever hosts the Chicago Sky, the New York Liberty hosts the Las Vegas Aces, and the Minnesota Lynx hosts the Dallas Wings. These early games set the tone for what promises to be a competitive season.The Fever will also host the All-Star Game for the first time in franchise history on July 19, adding to the excitement. The regular season will conclude on September 11, leaving teams with a long stretch to battle it out for a playoff spot.2025 opening weekend highlights:- Atlanta vs. Washington — May 16, 7:30 p.m. ET- Minnesota vs. Dallas — May 16, 7:30 p.m. ET- Golden State vs. Los Angeles – May 16, 10 p.m. ET- Indiana vs. Chicago — May 17, 1 p.m. ET- New York vs. Las Vegas — May 17, 3 p.m. ET- Seattle vs. Phoenix — May 17, 10 p.m. ET- Washington vs. Connecticut — May 18, 1 p.m. ETSchedule highlights:

Chicago vs. Indiana (June 7)

This will be the second of five meetings between the Fever and Sky this season. Last year, Indiana's Caitlin Clark and Chicago's Angel Reese finished 1-2 in Rookie of the Year voting. The Fever defeated the Sky in three of their four regular-season games. In addition to their opening weekend matchup and this game on June 7, the two teams will also play on July 26, Aug. 9, and Sept. 5. This rivalry is sure to heat up as both teams aim for victory.

Atlanta vs. Chicago (June 13)

This Commissioner's Cup game between the Dream and Sky features two new head coaches. Former Florida Gulf Coast coach Karl Smesko takes the Atlanta job, while former Aces assistant Tyler Marsh leads the Sky. The matchup promises to showcase different coaching styles and strategies as the teams battle it out on the court.

Indiana vs. Dallas (June 27)

The Fever and Wings will meet four times during the regular season, with this being the first. There's a possibility that Paige Bueckers could face off against Caitlin Clark for the first time if Bueckers declares and the Wings select her with the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. This game could be a showdown between two rising stars.

New York vs. Las Vegas (July 8)

This is the second of three meetings between the league's last two WNBA MVPs, the Liberty's Breanna Stewart and the Aces' A'ja Wilson. After their opening weekend matchup and on July 8, the two teams will play in Las Vegas on Aug. 13. Last season, the Liberty knocked the Aces out of the postseason in the semifinals, avenging their finals defeat from 2023. The rivalry between these two teams is intense, and this season's matchups are highly anticipated.

Phoenix vs. Minnesota (July 16)

Whether Diana Taurasi retires or not remains uncertain, but Phoenix will be hosting last year's finals runner-up Minnesota on July 16, the final day of the season's first half. The Mercury will play eight of its first 11 games at home before playing 12 of the next 17 on the road. This game could be a preview of what's to come in the playoffs.

Connecticut vs. Washington (Aug. 21)

The Sun and Mystics are two of the three WNBA franchises yet to hire a new head coach. This will be the last of four matchups between the Eastern Conference foes. Earlier in the season, both teams will play games away from their normal arena. The Sun will host the Fever in Boston's TD Garden on July 15, while the Mystics will play the Sky in Fairfax, Va. on July 8 in their annual camp day game. These unique matchups add an extra layer of excitement to the season.

Storm vs. Valkyries (Sept. 9)

Seattle closes out its season with a four-game homestand, with the last game being against Golden State. The Storm is looking to make the postseason for consecutive seasons, while the Golden State Valkyries have a final opportunity to clinch a playoff spot in their first season. This matchup will be crucial for both teams.

Sparks vs. Aces (Sept. 11)

The Sparks hired former Utah coach Lynne Roberts this offseason as they aim to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Los Angeles has an exciting young core led by Cameron Brink, Rickea Jackson, and the No. 2 pick in the upcoming draft. Their regular-season finale against the Aces, who feature Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, and Kelsey Plum, could serve as a postseason tune-up.How the 2025 schedule varies from last year:Players and fans will notice a difference between the two schedules in mid-to-late July. Last year, the WNBA condensed its 40-game slate due to the Olympic break, resulting in a more than three-week stoppage. This year, the All-Star break will last less than a week, with the second half resuming on July 22.Other changes are more subtle. With the addition of the Valkyries, the Commissioner's Cup will feature an additional game for Western Conference teams. Each Western Conference team will play six games, up from five last year, while Eastern Conference teams will still play five. Additionally, the Fever and Sky will face off five times, as will the Dream and Sun.The Commissioner's Cup will run from June 1-17, with a 0,000 prize pool awarded to the winner. The title game will be played on Tuesday, July 1, hosted by the team with the best winning percentage in Cup play.The playoffs will also have a revised format. The first round will include a 1-1-1 setup for the best-of-three series, with the higher seed hosting Games 1 and 3, if necessary, and its opponent hosting Game 2. This is a change from the current format, which has the highest seed hosting the first two games and its opponent hosting Game 3 if the series extends.The WNBA Finals will also be longer, going to a best-of-seven format. The finals will have a 2-2-1-1-1 structure, with the higher seed hosting Games 1, 2, 5, and 7, and its opponent hosting Games 3, 4, and 6.Required reading:(Photo: tktk)