The WNBA will open its 30th season with a statement game, as the Indiana Fever host the Dallas Wings in a matchup that immediately puts Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers back on the same floor.
The league’s newly released schedule confirms the season opener will take place on Saturday, May 9, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
While it is only the first game of a long campaign, the significance is obvious. For the first time at the professional level, Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers will meet on opening night, renewing a rivalry that helped define their college careers.
Their NCAA Tournament battles became reference points for an entire generation of women’s basketball fans. That history followed them into the WNBA, but injuries limited their opportunities to go head-to-head last season. This opener feels different. It is clean, it is intentional, and it arrives with the weight of expectation that has been building for years.
When the Dallas Wings selected Paige Bueckers with the No. 1 overall pick in 2025, the countdown to a proper Clark–Bueckers showdown effectively began. The league has now placed that moment front and centre to launch its anniversary season.
A packed home slate and a season full of unknowns
The opener also highlights how much talent will be on the floor. The game is expected to feature four consecutive No. 1 overall draft picks: Aliyah Boston from 2023, Caitlin Clark from 2024, Paige Bueckers from 2025, and Dallas‘s yet-to-be-named top selection in 2026. It will also mark the first time since the Wings‘ inaugural season in 2016 that Indiana and Dallas meet on opening night.
Beyond May 9, Indiana‘s home schedule is built around marquee moments. The Fever will host both of their 2025 postseason opponents, welcoming the Atlanta Dream on June 4 and June 18, before the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces make their only visit to Indianapolis on August 6.
Each game carries its own storyline, but all will be measured against expectations set early.
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