Mystics move four home games to bigger arenas in Baltimore, Fairfax

The Washington Mystics will play four home games in Baltimore and Fairfax, Virginia, this year after selling out every home game in 2024.

The WNBA franchise on Thursday said it would’ve moved the games to Capital One Arena, but planned renovations forced them to consider other options.

The 14,000-seat CFG Bank Arena in downtown Baltimore will host matchups featuring superstar Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever on May 28 and Sept. 7. The July 10 game against the Las Vegas Aces will be played at 10,000-seat EagleBank Arena on the George Mason University campus, joining a previously announced Camp Day game against the Chicago Sky on July 8 at the venue.

“Fans of the Mystics live across the DMV and beyond, and we’re excited to bring the incredible experience of the WNBA closer to home for fans living near Baltimore and Northern Virginia,” Mystics Chief Business Officer Alycen McAuley said. “As our game continues to experience tremendous growth, we’re thankful we have this opportunity to allow even more fans to come see the Mystics in person.”

Due to an agreement with the District, the Mystics are required to play most of their home games at the 4,200-seat CareFirst Arena in Southeast. The franchise can host up to four games at alternate sites.

The Mystics hosted four games, including both home games against Clark’s Fever, at Capital One Arena last year to accommodate increased demand during a banner season for the WNBA. Washington’s final regular-season game against Indiana drew a league-record 20,711.

In last year’s rookie campaign, Clark brought a legion of fans that followed her from her time at Iowa. As the nation felt the Clark Effect, opposing WNBA franchises scrambled to host more fans at her games. Several teams — including the Mystics, Atlanta Dream, Las Vegas Aces and Los Angeles Sparks — moved their home games against the Fever to larger venues. 

Fans can expect a similar trend in 2025. The Fever’s July 15 game against the Connecticut Sun was already moved to TD Garden — home of the Boston Celtics — to prepare for a legion of eager fans. 

Despite the WNBA’s leaguewide surge in attendance, Washington might need to ride that Clark effect to stoke fan enthusiasm as it embarks on a rebuild. The Mystics were the last team to fill their coach and general manager vacancies and traded star guard Ariel Atkins to the Sky in exchange for the No. 3 pick in this year’s draft. 

Washington will have three of the first six selections in April’s WNBA draft, but it appears to be on a long road to contention after finishing with a 14-26 record last year.

The Mystics open the 2025 season on May 16 with a home game against the Atlanta Dream.