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Few expansion teams have taken off like the Golden State Valkyries. They played their first game in 2025, reached the playoffs that year and won the WNBA championship in 2026, their second season. The final game was at home, in front of the Chase Center crowd the team calls Ballhalla. For Palo Alto fans, especially families who have followed women's basketball at Stanford for decades, the Valkyries have become a team worth the train ride north.
This guide covers the team: the 2026 title run, the parade on November 4, the offseason, getting to games, tickets, families and a short history. For the arena itself, see our guide to Chase Center. The Warriors page covers the NBA team that shares the building.
The 2026 championship
The Valkyries finished the 2026 regular season at 32 wins and 12 losses, nine more wins than in their first year. That earned the No. 2 seed. The WNBA's Finals preview credited the league's top-ranked defense and a deep bench. They survived a first round series against Dallas by winning Game 3 after trailing by 16 points. Then they swept the defending champion Las Vegas Aces in the semifinals.
The Finals against the Atlanta Dream went the distance. Golden State won Games 1, 4 and 5. Atlanta won Games 2, 3 and 6. Game 7 was on Saturday, October 31, at Chase Center, where the Valkyries won 68 to 63 to take the series 4 games to 3, per the WNBA's recaps. Gabby Williams was named Finals MVP after scoring 30 points in the deciding game. Head coach Natalie Nakase, an assistant on two of the Aces' championship staffs, had beaten her former team in the semifinals on the way.
The championship parade
The team and the City of San Francisco will hold the Valkyries Championship Parade on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, from noon to 2 p.m., according to the team's announcement. It runs along the Embarcadero from the Ferry Building near Mission Street to King and 2nd Street. Fans may line up from 9 a.m. on the bay side of the Embarcadero.
- Take the train. The parade ends a few blocks from Caltrain's 4th and King station. A morning northbound train from Palo Alto puts you at the south end of the route.
- Expect closures. Streets along the route will close. The team links to the city's transit and street closure information from its parade page.
- Plan the trip home. Trains after the parade will be crowded. Walking to the Ferry Building end and back takes longer than it looks on a map.
Our Palo Alto to San Francisco guide compares train, bus and car for a weekday in the city.
The offseason and 2027
As of November 2, the WNBA season is over and the Valkyries' 2027 schedule had not been posted on the team's site. The league keeps growing. Toronto and Portland joined in 2026 and the WNBA lists Houston for 2027 and Cleveland for 2028, which will change the calendar again. WNBA seasons have recently opened in May and run into the fall, with the Finals in October in 2026.
Ticket demand is the bigger question for fans. The team's president, Jess Smith, said in the parade announcement that fans sold out every game. Expect even more interest after a title. The team sells season tickets, mini-plans, single games and group tickets through its site. Sign up for the team's email list if you want early word on 2027 single game sales.
Getting to a game from Palo Alto
Chase Center is in Mission Bay, about 33 miles from Palo Alto. Caltrain is the easy way. Ride to San Francisco 4th and King, about 39 minutes on an express in the November 2026 timetable. Caltrain's events page gives two ways to finish:
- Walk east on 4th Street, turn left on Gene Friend Way and continue to Warriors Way, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Board the Muni T Third line on 4th Street toward Sunnydale for a short ride.
Driving takes about the same time outside rush hour but costs more once you add event parking. Many Peninsula fans park at a Caltrain station and ride in. See our Caltrain guide for stations and fares.
Tickets
With sellouts the norm, the cheapest way in is usually to plan early. Prices change with the opponent and demand, so any number you see is a snapshot.
- Mini-plans bundle a few games and may be easier to get than single tickets for the biggest dates.
- Upper level seats in the 200 sections are the usual budget option at Chase Center.
- Weeknight games against teams without a star often cost less than weekend games.
- Buy official. Use the team's site or a marketplace with buyer protection, since tickets are mobile only.
When 2027 tickets go on sale you can check Valkyries tickets on Ticketmaster alongside the team's own ticket pages.
Tips for families
A Valkyries game is one of the most family-friendly nights in Bay Area sport. The crowd is young and loud. Before tip-off the team's drum tradition opens the game, which the parade will copy with Williams and Mayor Daniel Lurie banging the drum. Some tips:
- Arrive early for warmups and the pre-game show.
- Check the arena's rules for tickets for small children on the team's FAQ page.
- Pair a game with Stanford basketball at home. The Stanford women's basketball season runs through winter at Maples Pavilion, a short drive from downtown Palo Alto.
Where to watch in and near Palo Alto
St. Stephen's Green, the Irish pub at 223 Castro Street in Mountain View, opened early on October 29 for the 9:30 a.m. Pacific tip-off of Game 6 and offered free Valkyries shirts to the first 20 guests, according to its website. In Palo Alto, The Pro at 541 Ramona Street posts a TV schedule and The Patio at 412 Emerson Street has 21 flat-screen TVs. Call ahead to make sure a game will be on a big screen. Our nightlife guide lists more downtown bars.
A short team history
The WNBA awarded the Bay Area an expansion team in 2023, owned by the group behind the Warriors. The league had not had a Bay Area team before. The Valkyries name followed. The team set up a practice facility in Oakland and plays its home games in San Francisco, a split it uses to claim the whole region. "We are the Bay's team," Smith said in the parade announcement.
The team hired Nakase, a former UCLA guard who had been a Las Vegas Aces assistant, as its first head coach. In 2025 the Valkyries became the first WNBA expansion team to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season, entering as the No. 8 seed. A year later they were champions, with home-court advantage through the 2026 playoffs after top seed Minnesota lost in the first round. Players such as Williams, Kiah Stokes, Veronica Burton, Tiffany Hayes and Kayla Thornton carried the team through the 2026 playoffs.
Frequently asked questions
Did the Valkyries win the 2026 WNBA championship?
Yes. The Golden State Valkyries beat the Atlanta Dream 68 to 63 in Game 7 of the WNBA Finals on Saturday, October 31, 2026, at Chase Center. They won the series 4 games to 3. It was the first title for either franchise.
When and where is the Valkyries championship parade?
The parade is on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, from noon to 2 p.m. It runs along the Embarcadero from the Ferry Building near Mission Street to King and 2nd Street. Fans can line up from 9 a.m. on the bay side of the Embarcadero, according to the team.
Where do the Valkyries play?
The Valkyries play home games at Chase Center in San Francisco's Mission Bay, which they share with the Warriors. Their practice facility is in Oakland. All home games of the 2026 Finals were played at Chase Center.
Who was the 2026 WNBA Finals MVP?
Gabby Williams. She averaged 19.6 points across the seven-game series and scored 30 points with four blocks in Game 7, according to the team.
How do I get to a Valkyries game from Palo Alto?
Take Caltrain to San Francisco 4th and King. Caltrain describes a 15 to 20 minute walk east on 4th Street, left on Gene Friend Way and on to Warriors Way, or a short ride on the Muni T Third line toward Sunnydale.