Sport WorldBriefBasketball Checked story Published 1 November 2026 · Updated 1 Nov, 04:13 UTC

Golden State Valkyries beat Atlanta Dream 68–63 in Game 7 to win their first WNBA championship

The Golden State Valkyries have won their first WNBA championship, beating the Atlanta Dream 68–63 in Game 7 of the Finals at Chase Center in San Francisco on Saturday 31 October 2026 — confirmed in the Valkyries' own official recap, headlined 'Valkyries Crowned 2026 WNBA Champions in Game 7 Victory Over the Dream' and read directly in this run. In the first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history, Golden State trailed 30–24 at half-time before Gabby Williams — who had scored only two points in the first half — erupted for 28 after it, finishing with a game-high 30 points and four blocks. The win takes the best-of-seven series 4–3 and gives the Valkyries, in only their second season, a first title; Atlanta, in their fourth Finals, are still waiting for theirs. Gabby Williams was named the WNBA Finals MVP — the league's own @WNBA announcement, quoted verbatim in theScore's report read directly in this update run, gave her series averages as 19.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 2.7 assists per game.

Verified The Golden State Valkyries beat the Atlanta Dream 68–63 in Game 7 of the WNBA Finals at Chase Center, San Francisco, on Saturday 31 October 2026, winning the best-of-seven series 4–3 and the franchise's first WNBA championship, in only their second season.

Key points

Final, Game 7: Golden State Valkyries 68, Atlanta Dream 63 at Chase Center, San Francisco, on Saturday 31 October 2026 — the Valkyries win the first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history 4–3 in the series and take their first championship, confirmed in the team's own official recap, read directly in this run.
Half-time: Atlanta 30–24. Quarter scores 14–12, 10–18, 21–14, 23–19 — Golden State outscored Atlanta 44–33 after half-time.
Gabby Williams: a game-high 30 points and four blocks, with only two points in the first half and 28 after it (15 in the third quarter). Tied 55–55 late, her three and two free throws drove a 7–0 run; Veronica Burton's last free throws sealed 68–63. Williams was named Finals MVP (see the claim below).
Golden State, in their second season, are the first expansion team to win the Finals in their second year, per the team's own recap. Atlanta — fourth Finals, first since 2013 — are still without a title.

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What happened

Game 7 existed because Atlanta won Game 6 at home on Thursday, 80–69, to level the series at 3–3 — the game Vozia's live Game 6 brief covers — after Golden State had led 3–2. Both teams came into the decider seeking a first championship: the Valkyries, an expansion team in their second season, and the Dream, who had lost all three of their previous Finals in 2010, 2011 and 2013.

The decider was a defensive game, as the series had promised: Atlanta did not score for the first five minutes, led by six at half-time behind Jordin Canada's 13 first-half points, and were then overtaken almost entirely by one player — Williams scored 15 of Golden State's 21 third-quarter points and 13 more in the fourth, including the three-pointer inside the last three minutes that put the Valkyries ahead for good.

Match facts — all verified

✓ VerifiedThe Golden State Valkyries beat the Atlanta Dream 68–63 in Game 7 of the WNBA Finals at Chase Center, San Francisco, on Saturday 31 October 2026, winning the best-of-seven series 4–3 and the franchise's first WNBA championship, in only their second season.Golden State Valkyries — official site, Game 7 recap: 'Valkyries Crowned 2026 WNBA Champions' (31 Oct 2026) · The Guardian — Atlanta Dream 63–68 Golden State Valkyries, WNBA Finals Game 7 live reaction (31 Oct–1 Nov 2026) · USA Today — Golden State Valkyries hold off Atlanta Dream for WNBA championship in second season (31 Oct 2026)
✓ VerifiedAtlanta led 30–24 at half-time. The quarter scores were 14–12 and 10–18 in the first half, then 21–14 and 23–19 for Golden State after it, as the Valkyries came from six points down — and from nine down at their lowest point in the third quarter, per USA Today — to lead 45–44 going into the fourth.The Guardian — WNBA Finals Game 7 live page (31 Oct–1 Nov 2026) · Golden State Valkyries — official site, Game 7 recap (31 Oct 2026) · USA Today — Golden State Valkyries hold off Atlanta Dream for WNBA championship (31 Oct 2026)
✓ VerifiedGabby Williams scored a game-high 30 points for Golden State with four blocks — only two of them in the first half, then 15 in the third quarter and 28 in the second half. With the game tied 55–55 inside the last three minutes, Williams hit a three-pointer and two free throws in a 7–0 run, Atlanta cut the gap back to four with a three, and Veronica Burton's final pair of free throws closed the game at 68–63.Golden State Valkyries — official site, Game 7 recap (31 Oct 2026) · NBC Sports Bay Area — Promise kept: Valkyries beat Dream in Game 7, win WNBA title (31 Oct 2026) · The Guardian — WNBA Finals Game 7 live page (31 Oct–1 Nov 2026)
✓ VerifiedTiffany Hayes scored 11 points and Veronica Burton 10 for Golden State, Burton adding 10 rebounds and five assists; Kiah Stokes scored eight points with a team-high 13 rebounds and two blocks in Game 7, ending the Finals with 18 blocks across the series. For Atlanta, Jordin Canada scored 18 points and Allisha Gray 16.USA Today — Golden State Valkyries hold off Atlanta Dream for WNBA championship (31 Oct 2026) · Golden State Valkyries — official site, Game 7 recap (31 Oct 2026)
✓ VerifiedGolden State's defence set the tone from the tip: Atlanta were held scoreless for the first five minutes, missing their first six shots, and five Valkyries blocks by four different players came in the opening quarter. Game 7 was the Valkyries' 53rd consecutive sellout, and the team has sold out every regular-season and postseason game in its history.Golden State Valkyries — official site, Game 7 recap (31 Oct 2026) · The Guardian — WNBA Finals Game 7 live page (31 Oct–1 Nov 2026)
✓ VerifiedGabby Williams was named the 2026 WNBA Finals MVP. The WNBA's own announcement gave her Finals averages as 19.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 2.7 assists per game. AP reports her 28 second-half points in Game 7 broke the WNBA Finals record for points in a half, and that she joined Penny Taylor as the only players to score 30 or more points in a winner-take-all Finals game.The Score — Williams named WNBA Finals MVP after leading Valkyries to title, embedding the WNBA's own @WNBA announcement (1 Nov 2026) · TSN / The Associated Press (Doug Feinberg) — Valkyries' Williams named WNBA Finals MVP (published 1 Nov 2026, updated 03:50 UTC) · NBC Sports — Golden State Valkyries win 2026 WNBA title in thrilling Game 7 victory over Atlanta Dream (1 Nov 2026)

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VerifiedWest Ham United confirmed on Tuesday 3 November 2026 that men's first-team head coach Nuno Espírito Santo has left his position with immediate effect. The club said: 'Following a thorough review of the start to the EFL Championship season, the board of directors believe that a change is necessary at this time in order to ensure that the club's objectives and expectations remain on track.'
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VerifiedNuno replaced Graham Potter at the London Stadium in September 2025 on a three-year contract, oversaw West Ham's relegation from the Premier League last season — they finished 18th — and was kept on in May to lead the promotion bid. This season West Ham sit eighth in the Championship after 13 games, with back-to-back home defeats sealing his departure: 3–2 by Southampton and then 3–1 by West Brom on Saturday, a third home defeat in seven, after a run of two wins in seven games that followed a 6–0 win over Wrexham at the start of September.

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VerifiedThe National Sports Commission confirmed on Monday 2 November 2026 that the Super Falcons' players have received — and begun receiving — the naira equivalent of President Bola Tinubu's $100,000-per-player reward pledge, with members of the technical crew receiving the equivalent of $50,000 each, completing the cash component of the reward package for the team's 10th WAFCON title.
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VerifiedSL Benfica beat FC Alverca 1–0 at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica on Monday 2 November 2026 in Liga Portugal Matchday 10 (0–0 at half-time): Vangelis Pavlidis scored the only goal, a penalty, in the 51st minute, and the match ended at 90+5 minutes.
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