The NFL Playoffs return in 2026 with exciting matchups across three action-packed weekends. Fourteen teams will battle for a spot in Super Bowl LX. This guide covers everything you need to know about playoff schedules, brackets, matchups, and format rules.
The playoff race wrapped up on January 5, 2026. Denver and Seattle grabbed the top seeds. Pittsburgh secured the final playoff spot on a dramatic last-second missed field goal. The road to Santa Clara begins January 10.
Key Dates for the 2026 NFL Playoffs
The NFL regular season ended on Sunday, January 5, 2026. Right after that, the playoff race began. Here are the important dates:
- Wild Card Weekend: Takes place from January 10 to January 12, 2026. It covers three days—Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.
- Divisional Round: Set for January 17 and 18, 2026. Four teams in each conference will remain by this stage.
- Conference Championship Games: Both the AFC and NFC title games are scheduled for Sunday, January 25, 2026.
- Super Bowl LX: The Super Bowl kicks off on Sunday, February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Each round is packed with action and sets the stage for the next. The road to the Super Bowl moves fast. Fans and teams must stay ready.
Full 2026 NFL Playoff Schedule
Each round includes set time slots. The official matchups are now confirmed after the regular season ended. Here’s how the complete schedule looks:
| DATE | ROUND | MATCHUP | TIME (ET) | TV CHANNEL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Jan 10 | Wild Card Round | (5) LA Rams at (4) Carolina Panthers | 4:30 PM | FOX |
| Sat, Jan 10 | Wild Card Round | (7) Green Bay Packers at (2) Chicago Bears | 8:00 PM | Amazon Prime Video |
| Sun, Jan 11 | Wild Card Round | (6) Buffalo Bills at (3) Jacksonville Jaguars | 1:00 PM | CBS / Paramount+ |
| Sun, Jan 11 | Wild Card Round | (6) San Francisco 49ers at (3) Philadelphia Eagles | 4:30 PM | FOX |
| Sun, Jan 11 | Wild Card Round | (7) LA Chargers at (2) New England Patriots | 8:00 PM | NBC / Peacock |
| Mon, Jan 12 | Wild Card Round | (5) Houston Texans at (4) Pittsburgh Steelers | 8:00 PM | ESPN / ABC |
| Sat, Jan 17 | Divisional Round | Lowest Seed at (1) Denver Broncos | 4:30 PM | TBA |
| Sat, Jan 17 | Divisional Round | AFC Divisional Game | 8:15 PM | TBA |
| Sun, Jan 18 | Divisional Round | Lowest Seed at (1) Seattle Seahawks | 3:00 PM | TBA |
| Sun, Jan 18 | Divisional Round | NFC Divisional Game | 6:30 PM | TBA |
| Sun, Jan 25 | AFC Championship | AFC Team at AFC Team | 3:00 PM | CBS / Paramount+ |
| Sun, Jan 25 | NFC Championship | NFC Team at NFC Team | 6:30 PM | FOX |
| Sun, Feb 8 | Super Bowl LX | AFC Champ vs NFC Champ | 6:30 PM | NBC / Peacock |
Note: Divisional Round matchups will be determined after Wild Card Weekend concludes. The NFL reseeds teams so the highest remaining seed always plays the lowest remaining seed.
Also Check: Where to Watch Super Bowl 2026?
2026 NFL Playoff Bracket
The playoff bracket features seven teams from each conference. Division winners get the top four seeds. Wild card teams fill seeds five through seven. The No. 1 seed in each conference gets a first-round bye.
🏈 AFC Playoff Bracket
All 7 Playoff Spots Set
Wild Card Round
- 1 Broncos (14-3) BYE
- 2 Patriots (14-3) vs. 7 Chargers (11-6)
- 3 Jaguars (13-4) vs. 6 Bills (12-5)
- 4 Steelers (10-7) vs. 5 Texans (12-5)
Divisional Round
- Lowest Remaining Seed vs. 1 Broncos
- Wild Card Winner vs. Wild Card Winner
AFC Championship Game
- Divisional Winner vs. Divisional Winner
🏈 NFC Playoff Bracket
All 7 Playoff Spots Set
Wild Card Round
- 1 Seahawks (14-3) BYE
- 2 Bears (11-6) vs. 7 Packers (9-7-1)
- 3 Eagles (11-6) vs. 6 49ers (12-5)
- 4 Panthers (8-9) vs. 5 Rams (12-5)
Divisional Round
- Lowest Remaining Seed vs. 1 Seahawks
- Wild Card Winner vs. Wild Card Winner
NFC Championship Game
- Divisional Winner vs. Divisional Winner
🏆 Super Bowl LX
Championship Game • AFC vs NFC
Complete 2026 NFL Playoff Picture
All 14 playoff spots are locked in following Week 18’s dramatic conclusion. Denver and Seattle earned the top seeds and first-round byes. Pittsburgh clinched the final playoff berth on a last-second missed field goal by Baltimore. Here’s the final breakdown:
Final AFC Playoff Seeds
| Seed | Team | Record | Division/Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denver Broncos | 14-3 | AFC West Champion, First-round bye |
| 2 | New England Patriots | 14-3 | AFC East Champion |
| 3 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 13-4 | AFC South Champion |
| 4 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 10-7 | AFC North Champion |
| 5 | Houston Texans | 12-5 | Wild Card |
| 6 | Buffalo Bills | 12-5 | Wild Card |
| 7 | Los Angeles Chargers | 11-6 | Wild Card |
Final NFC Playoff Seeds
| Seed | Team | Record | Division/Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle Seahawks | 14-3 | NFC West Champion, First-round bye |
| 2 | Chicago Bears | 11-6 | NFC North Champion |
| 3 | Philadelphia Eagles | 11-6 | NFC East Champion |
| 4 | Carolina Panthers | 8-9 | NFC South Champion |
| 5 | Los Angeles Rams | 12-5 | Wild Card |
| 6 | San Francisco 49ers | 12-5 | Wild Card |
| 7 | Green Bay Packers | 9-7-1 | Wild Card |
Key Highlights:
Carolina made the playoffs at 8-9, becoming the lowest-seeded division winner. They’ll host their first playoff game since 2017. Pittsburgh’s dramatic 26-24 win over Baltimore on a missed field goal secured the AFC’s final spot. Six teams returned to the playoffs after missing last year: Seahawks, 49ers, Panthers, Bears, Broncos, and Patriots. The Kansas City Chiefs are absent from the playoffs for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era.
NFL Playoff Format & How It Works
Seven teams from each conference make the playoffs. Four division winners and three wild card teams. Division winners always get the top four seeds regardless of record. Wild card teams fill the remaining spots based on record.
The No. 1 seed gets a bye and home-field advantage throughout the conference playoffs. Seeds 2 through 7 play in the Wild Card Round. The matchups are simple: 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, and 4 vs 5. Higher seeds host all games.
The Divisional Round uses reseeding. The No. 1 seed plays the lowest remaining seed. The other two winners face each other. This rewards the top seed with the easiest path. The two Divisional Round winners meet in the Conference Championship. Those winners advance to the Super Bowl.
Every game is single elimination. One loss ends your season. Tiebreakers include head-to-head record, conference record, and strength of victory.
NFL Playoffs 2026: All You Need to Know
How many playoff games are there in total?
There are 13 playoff games in total. It starts with 6 games in the Wild Card round. Then 4 games happen in the Divisional round. After that, 2 Conference Championship games decide the Super Bowl participants. Finally, 1 Super Bowl crowns the champion.
Can two teams from the same division play in the Super Bowl?
No. Teams from the same division can meet in the Conference Championship. But the Super Bowl always features one team from the AFC and one from the NFC. Division rivals can battle it out for a conference title but never in the final game.
Do teams get reseeded after each round?
Yes. In each conference, the highest seed always plays the lowest remaining seed in the Divisional Round. This helps the top seed maintain its advantage. For example, if the No. 1 seed is still alive, they’ll face the lowest seed that survived Wild Card Weekend. It doesn’t matter who that team beat to get there.
Can I stream the NFL Playoffs online?
Yes. Playoff games are available through multiple streaming platforms. Peacock carries NBC games. Paramount+ streams CBS broadcasts. ESPN+ has the ESPN/ABC Monday night game. Amazon Prime Video streams Saturday’s late game. NFL+ works for mobile viewing. Major live TV services like YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and FuboTV also carry all the games.
Do teams get reseeded after each round?
Yes. In each conference, the highest seed always plays the lowest remaining seed in the Divisional Round. This helps the top seed maintain its advantage. For example, if the No. 1 seed is still alive, they’ll face the lowest seed that survived Wild Card Weekend. It doesn’t matter who that team beat to get there.
Can I stream the NFL Playoffs online?
Yes. Playoff games are available through multiple streaming platforms. Peacock carries NBC games. Paramount+ streams CBS broadcasts. ESPN+ has the ESPN/ABC Monday night game. Amazon Prime Video streams Saturday’s late game. NFL+ works for mobile viewing. Major live TV services like YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and FuboTV also carry all the games.
What happens if a playoff game ends in a tie?
Playoff games use modified overtime rules. Each team must get a chance to possess the ball unless a touchdown is scored on the first drive. If the first team scores a touchdown, the game ends immediately. If they kick a field goal, the other team gets a possession. Overtime continues until a winner is decided. There are no ties in playoff football.
Where can I download a printable NFL playoff bracket?
You can get a printable bracket from the NFL Playoff Pass. Major sports outlets like ESPN, CBS Sports, FOX Sports, and Yahoo Sports also offer downloadable brackets. Many sites provide both blank brackets and filled-in versions with current results. Just search for “NFL playoff bracket PDF” and you’ll find several options.
When and where is Super Bowl LX?
Super Bowl LX will be played on Sunday, February 8, 2026. The game takes place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 PM ET. NBC will broadcast the game with streaming available on Peacock. It’s the first Super Bowl in the Bay Area since Super Bowl 50 at the same stadium in 2016.
How does home-field advantage work?
The higher seed always hosts playoff games until the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl location is predetermined years in advance. In 2026, it’s at Levi’s Stadium regardless of which teams make it. Home-field advantage matters because of crowd noise, familiarity with the field, and no travel required.
Stay tuned for updates as the playoffs progress. The road to Super Bowl LX starts January 10, 2026. Every team is one game away from elimination. Let the chase begin.