The Atlanta Dream will host the Golden State Valkyries in Game 3 and Game 4 of the WNBA Finals at State Farm Arena, allowing for larger attendance, after the league moved the one up a day and altered tipoff of the second one to avoid conflicts at the venue.
Game 3 of the best-of-seven series will now be Wednesday, Oct. 21. Tipoff for Game 4 on Saturday, Oct. 24 will be 1 p.m. Eastern, 2 1/2 hours before the previously scheduled start time. The series begins Saturday in California.
The location of the Dream home games had been up in the air because the team wanted to play at State Farm Arena, the home of the Atlanta Hawks that seats more than 17,000 fans, as opposed to their normal home, Gateway Center Arena, which holds only 3,500.
“We are grateful for the efforts made by numerous stakeholders, including the Dream, the Valkyries, the Hawks, State Farm Arena, and NBC Sports and USA Sports,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said. “The change of venue dramatically expands the seating capacity and ensures that the Dream will be able to provide an extraordinary atmosphere for the first WNBA Finals game to be played in the Atlanta market since 2013. We are pleased that thousands more fans across the Southeast region will have the opportunity to experience the ultimate WNBA action — the WNBA Finals — in person.”
There were conflicts at State Farm Arena for Game 3, with a concert by singer Sombr on Oct. 22, and for Game 4, with the Hawks holding their home opener the night of Oct. 24.
“We are thrilled that we will be able to accommodate the Dream as they host Games 3 and 4 of the WNBA Finals at State Farm Arena. Playing for a championship is special, and we want the Dream to feel the full support of the city during this amazing run,” said Andrew Saltzman, president of business enterprise and chief commercial officer of the Hawks and State Farm Arena.
While the Dream played most of their regular-season games at Gateway Center Arena, they moved six regular-season games and the three previous home playoff games to State Farm Arena. They will play all their home games next season at State Farm Arena after signing a multiyear deal earlier this month.
It's unclear where a Game 6 would be held if the WNBA Finals go that long because the Hawks have another home game at State Farm Arena on Oct. 29.
The Valkyries had their own conflict with Game 2 on Oct. 19, when Doja Cat had a concert scheduled that night at Chase Center in San Francisco. The concert was moved to Oct. 25.
See AP’s full WNBA coverage here
Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese, right, celebrates with DeWanna Bonner, left, after their team defeated the New York Liberty in Game 3 of the WNBA basketball semifinals, Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
FILE - State Farm Arena is viewed before an NBA basketball game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Los Angeles Lakers, Dec. 30, 2022, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Hakim Wright Sr., File)
ROME (AP) — José Mourinho left Roma 2½ years ago huffing and puffing over the referees after failing to qualify the club for the Champions League during his turbulent but also successful stay in the Italian capital.
Now he’s back to lead Real Madrid into the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday for Roma’s first Champions League home game in 7½ years. His ongoing laments and histrionics over the referees have prompted controversy in Spain and Madrid is struggling while rival Barcelona is soaring at the start of his second stint in the Spanish capital.
Mourinho didn’t show up for his mandatory post-match news conference Saturday after Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior had a goal dismissed and was sent off with a direct red card for pulling the hair of a Villarreal player in La Liga.
“I’ll say something so you stop asking me about it. Watch just the first minute of the Villarreal match," Mourinho said Tuesday. "That’s enough.”
The hair-pulling episode came after Madrid called for a new Spanish league president, arguing that Javier Tebas’ comments against the club regarding refereeing complaints were “intolerable.”
Tebas criticized the club for attacking the officiating crew in the 2-1 loss at Atletico Madrid before the international break.
After the derby, Mourinho took a piece of paper with photos to the post-match news conference, saying there were “two clear red cards” that weren’t shown to Atletico players. The Madrid coach then spent nearly five minutes complaining of “strange” things that have happened to his team this season and in the past.
Mourinho kept up his “strange” theme on Tuesday when asked about referee appointments.
“It seems very strange," he said. "Normally, referees are announced 24 hours before La Liga matches. Why do we know ours three weeks in advance? It smells strange.”
Perhaps Mourinho’s mood will get a lift in Rome, where he remains a beloved figure after leading Roma to successive European finals — a Conference League title in 2022 and a Europa League final the following season.
“For 90 minutes we're going to be opponents. But if they want to make a special tribute, well I also would like to embrace the Roma fans,” Mourinho said. "Before or after the match I'll touch my heart.”
Current Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini said he expected the club's fans to pay tribute to Mourinho before kickoff.
“It’s only fair. The fans really loved him so he deserves whatever tribute they give him," Gasperini said. "But once the match starts, I think they’ll forget those feelings and Rome’s people will cheer exclusively for their squad.”
Mourinho's current state could also bring back memories of more clashes with the officiating crews.
Mourinho was suspended by UEFA from four European games for verbally abusing the Europa League final referee in a stadium garage after Roma lost the 2023 final to Sevilla. He was also suspended for his final game at Roma against AC Milan in January 2024.
The last time Roma had a home game in the Champions League was against Porto in the round of 16 in February 2019. Roma won 2-1 but then lost the return leg 3-1 and was eliminated on 4-3 aggregate.
It's the second straight Champions League match that Mourinho is facing one of his former Italian clubs, after Madrid hung on for a 2-1 win over Inter Milan last month after scoring two early goals.
Gasperini achieved in one season what Mourinho couldn’t over three when he coached Roma to a top-four finish during his first campaign with the Giallorossi.
Having moved on after a successful nine-year stay at Atalanta, Gasperini has developed Roma into an attack-minded unit that is the antithesis of Mourinho’s defensive-minded teams.
“José left people with amazing memories and a deep affection for him as a coach,” Gasperini said. “However ours is a different sort of team now — very different from the one that played under Mourinho — even though it hasn’t been that many years.”
Donyell Malen leads Serie A with six goals in six matches and will be looking for redemption after picking up the first red card of his career on Sunday in a 0-0 draw with fellow Champions League side Como.
Malen went on as a second-half substitute for Borussia Dortmund when Madrid beat the German club in the 2024 final for its record-extending 15th Champions League title.
The match at the Stadio Olimpico will also likely mark the 100th Champions League appearance for Kylian Mbappé, who at 27 would become the youngest player to reach the century mark in the competition.
Lionel Messi set the current record at 28 against Roma in September 2015.
See AP’s full soccer coverage here
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe controls the ball during the La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Villarreal in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Roma's Donyell Malen reacts after getting a red card during the Serie A soccer match between Como and Roma, in Como, Italy, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (Tiziano Ballabio/LaPresse via AP)
Real Madrid's head coach Jose Mourinho reacts during the La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Villarreal in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's head coach Jose Mourinho argues with a referee during the La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Villarreal in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's head coach Jose Mourinho sits on the becnhs before the La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Villarreal in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
