Unrivaled playoffs 2026: Schedule, teams, stats to know

The Phantom, Laces, Mist, Breeze, Rose and Vinyl have advanced to the Unrivaled playoffs, which open Saturday.

Mar. 3, 2026 at 8:07am

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The Unrivaled playoffs have arrived. Tipping off Saturday, the five-game, five-day postseason will be decided by Wednesday's championship tilt in Miami. A new playoff format highlights the second postseason for the Miami-based league. The top six teams advanced and will compete for the title and a $600,000 prize pool, which will be split among the six-player roster.

Why it matters

Last year, four teams made the postseason, and each player from the championship team took home $50,000. The new expanded playoff format and increased prize pool will make the Unrivaled postseason more competitive and lucrative for the players.

The details

The Phantom and Mist, the top two seeds, earned byes into the semifinals. In Saturday's single-elimination, first-round games in Miami, the No. 6 seed Vinyl play the No. 3 seed Laces and the No. 5 seed Breeze play the No. 4 seed Rose. As the No. 1 seed, the Phantom will play the lowest remaining seed in the semifinals; the Mist will play the highest remaining seed. The Rose took home the inaugural season's trophy in 2025 after entering the playoffs as the No. 2 seed. The Phantom have the league's best record a year after finishing last in the standings.

  • The Unrivaled playoffs will tip off on Saturday, February 28, 2026.
  • The semifinals will be played on Monday, March 2, 2026 at Barclays Center in New York.
  • The championship game will be played on Wednesday, March 4, 2026 in Miami.

The players

Phantom

The Phantom are the hottest team heading into the postseason, having won seven consecutive games. They are led by first-time Unrivaled player Kelsey Plum, who is averaging 22.6 points per game, and Aliyah Boston, who is averaging a double-double.

Mist

The Mist are built around veterans Breanna Stewart, Allisha Gray and Arike Ogunbowale. They lead the league in scoring, offensive rebounds, total rebounds and steals.

Laces

Alyssa Thomas and Jackie Young arrived in Miami fresh off WNBA Finals appearances. Brittney Sykes has led the Laces to the No. 3 seed, averaging 20.3 points per game.

Rose

The defending champion Rose have a chance to win back-to-back titles. They are led by Chelsea Gray, who is averaging 24.2 points and 6.3 assists per game, and recently returned Angel Reese.

Breeze

The young core of Paige Bueckers, Dominique Malonga, Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson has led the Breeze to the playoffs. Bueckers is fourth in the league in scoring and second in assists.

Vinyl

The Vinyl were the last team to secure a playoff spot, led by Rae Burrell's career-high 30-point performance in the regular-season finale. Dearica Hamby and Rhyne Howard have been the team's leading scorers.

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What they’re saying

“It feels really good to be back. Being in a healthy environment where the fans just love basketball feels really good. I'm happy to be here. Unrivaled has done a great job being able to bring out fans that really support each player.”

— Angel Reese

“She's a savant in a lot of ways. Championships are fleeting, but impact and connection last. She understands that at a young age. She's one-of-one, and she makes this team go.”

— Noelle Quinn, Breeze Coach

“There are going to be ups and downs. I feel like as a team, we've been persistent. ... We have been looking toward what's next, what game is next. We're continuing to grow as a team and just staying together.”

— Rae Burrell, Vinyl Player

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This new expanded playoff format and increased prize pool will make the Unrivaled postseason more competitive and lucrative for the players, as they compete for a $600,000 prize pool compared to just $50,000 for the championship team last year.