NBA unveils 2026 Finals schedule with notable changes, no Sunday games

The NBA has announced the schedule for the 2026 NBA Finals, which will feature several notable changes from recent years. The best-of-seven series will begin on Wednesday, June 3, a shift from the 2025 Finals which started on a Thursday. All games are scheduled for 8:30 PM ET on ABC.

A significant departure is that no games in the 2026 Finals are scheduled for a Sunday, marking the first time since 1970. Traditionally, Game 2 and a potential Game 7 (often aligned with Father's Day) have been played on Sundays. In 2026, a potential Game 7 is set for Friday, June 19.

The schedule adjustments are partly attributed to avoiding conflict with the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19 in North America. For instance, Game 4 is scheduled for Wednesday, June 10, instead of the typical Friday slot (June 12), as the U.S. Men's National Team has its World Cup opener on that Friday.

Furthermore, the 2026 Finals will have only one day of rest between Games 1 and 2 (with Game 2 on Friday, June 5), unlike the two-day break in 2025. The schedule maintains the standard two-day breaks for travel required after Game 2 and, if necessary, after Games 4, 5, and 6.