The 2026 WNBA Commissioner's Cup championship is set for Tuesday, and will feature the reigning WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces against the New York Liberty in a rematch of the 2023 title game, which the Liberty won. This is the first championship rematch in the history of the Commissioner's Cup, which is in it's sixth year after debuting in 2021, and will also guarantee the first two-time winner.
The Aces and Liberty have been the toast of the league over the last five years. This will be their latest meeting with a trophy on the line, and perhaps a preview of another to come in the fall. Unfortunately, the Aces announced on Tuesday morning that their star forward A'ja Wilson will miss this game with a right leg injury.
But there's still plenty for both teams to play for. Once again, there will be a $500,000 prize pool split between the two teams. Each player from the winning team will receive $30,000, while each player on the losing team will receive $10,000. The Commissioner's Cup MVP will receive an additional $10,000, and the remaining $10,000 will be donated to a charity of the winning team's choosing.
"People want to see New York versus Vegas, so I think it's good for the fans," Aces coach Becky Hammon said Sunday. "Barclays has been a tough place for us to play the last few years. So it's going to be a great battle. I know Barclays is going to be rocking."
Ahead of what should be another exciting matchup, here's everything you need to know.
Where to watch 2026 Commissioner's Cup championship
Date: Tuesday, June 30 | Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Barclays Center -- Brooklyn, New York
TV: N/A | Live stream: Prime Video
Odds (via FanDuel): Liberty -6.5 | O/U: 173.5
Aces and Liberty meet again with high stakes
Since 2022, the Aces and Liberty have won all four WNBA championships and two of the four Commissioner's Cup championships.
| Season | Commissioner's Cup | WNBA Finals |
|---|---|---|
2022 | Aces | Aces |
2023 | Liberty | Aces |
2024 | Liberty | |
2025 | Aces |
During that time, the 2025 Commissioner's Cup championship is the only time a trophy was contested without at least one of the Aces or Liberty involved. This will be the third time the Aces and Liberty have faced each other under such circumstances (they also faced off in the semifinals of the 2024 playoffs):
- 2023: Liberty defeat Aces in Commissioner's Cup championship
- 2023: Aces defeat Liberty in WNBA Finals
- 2026: TBD defeats TBD in Commissioner's Cup championship
The Aces' three WNBA titles to the Liberty's one is, obviously, a massive difference, but in terms of their head-to-head battles over the last four-plus seasons, the Liberty have the edge:
- Regular season: Liberty, 9-5
- Playoffs: Tied, 4-4 (one series win each)
- Commissioner's Cup: Liberty: 1-0
Wilson and Sabally out with injuries
In the fourth quarter of the Aces' win over the Chicago Sky on Sunday, A'ja Wilson deflected a pass from Sydney Taylor and jumped up to secure the ball. As she landed, her right ankle rolled, and she collapsed to the ground, bringing a hush over the United Center crowd.
Wilson immediately clutched her ankle and remained on the ground for a brief period before getting up and limping back to the locker room. Somehow, she was able to return to the game and helped the Aces close things out. She finished with 30 points, 15 rebounds, four steals and three blocks, and didn't seem concerned about her ankle afterward.
"It's good, I'm working on it. Obviously I have it taped up and everything," Wilson said. "It's just one of those things. I'm feeling pretty good right now."
However, the Aces listed Wilson as questionable on Monday's injury report due to a "right leg" injury and officially ruled her out on Tuesday.
Wilson is one of the toughest and most durable players in the league. Since her debut in 2018, she's played in 286 of a possible 301 regular-season games and 55 of a possible 55 playoff games. But it is understandable that the Aces are being cautious with their franchise player in a game that doesn't even count toward regular-season standings.
Hammon told reporters that she doesn't think the injury will impact Wilson long term, and that she likely will need a "few days" to recover.
On the other side, the Liberty will be without key free agent signing Satou Sabally, who is out with a concussion she suffered during New York's win over Las Vegas on June 23. Sabally also suffered a concussion against the Aces during Game 3 of the 2025 Finals when she was playing for the Mercury.
Aces rolling, Liberty sputtering
Aces look like they could go back-to-back
The Aces used the most remarkable in-season turnaround ever to win the 2025 title -- their third in the last four seasons. Despite not always looking dominant, even in the playoffs, it was hard to argue with their decision to largely run it back. They re-signed Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young and Jewell Loyd, and their only notable addition was Chennedy Carter.
They opened the season with a bizarre 33-point loss to the Mercury in a rematch of the 2025 Finals, and have had a few other no-shows, but have otherwise been one of the best teams in the league. They have the best offensive rating (112.5), Wilson is on pace for her fifth MVP (and third in a row) and Carter has been incredible when healthy.
All told, the Aces have won 10 of their last 12 games and sit in second place behind the Minnesota Lynx. However, Wilson's injury will certainly hurt their chances in the Commissioner's Cup.
Liberty haven't found chemistry yet
After a busy offseason in which they replaced title-winning coach Sandy Brondello with Chris DeMarco, brought back their entire Big Three of Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones, and signed Sabally in free agency, the Liberty were the preseason favorites to win the title.
Injuries and overseas commitments have prevented the Liberty's best players from spending much time on the floor together, however. Sabally and Leonie Fiebich have missed seven games and Ionescu has missed 12. Their new core four of Stewart, Ionescu, Jones and Sabally has played just six games together, and their ideal starting lineup, which includes those four and Fiebich, has played four games together.
The result has been an up-and-down season. The Liberty started off 3-1, then lost three games in a row, won eight games in a row and are now on this 1-4 skid -- that one victory was over the Aces on June 23. All told, the Liberty are 12-8, which is a bit disappointing and has them in fifth place.
What are the teams saying?
Aces looking for a payday, ready for "playoff atmosphere"
"Commissioner's Cup is an opportunity to get some money, too. That's the reality of it," Gray said Sunday. Wilson echoed those thoughts. "It's a great opportunity to get some cash," she said.
While the Aces don't want to put too much stock into one game, they know the importance of tests like this.
"When you're playing against top-level teams that's had success, you want to win those matchups. Especially when they've had a core that's been there for a few years just like we do," Gray said. "I think our measuring stick is ourselves. Are we playing the right way? Do we feel like we're playing the right way every single time we step on the court?"
"I think a lot of people see it as a measuring stick, what it could look like in the playoffs, but I feel like we get that every single game," Wilson said. "Especially when it comes to New York and when we go to New York. It's gonna be a very interesting -- I don't want to say hostile, because it's not really hostile when we go to Brooklyn. It's just a great playoff atmosphere and I think it kinda gets us in the midset of the Septembers and Octobers."
Jones, Stewart sounding the alarms for Liberty
After the Liberty were upset by the rebuilding Seattle Storm on June 25, Jones called out her team.
"It's not about the reps, it's not about playing time, it's not about none of that stuff," Jones said. "It's about having some heart and playing with some f---ing heart."
Stewart echoed those thoughts after another loss on Sunday, this one to the Valkyries.
"You can't play with heart and play with effort just when things are going good," Stewart said. "It's really the moments when you're at the lowest. And this team -- we're obviously not a finished product, but this wasn't a great showing, especially coming off of a loss."
Tuesday's championship game will give the Liberty a chance to see what they're made of in a playoff-like environment.
