NFL playoff bracket 2026: Updated schedule, TV channels, scores for AFC and NFC games originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The 2025 NFL regular season has come to a close, which means it is now time to turn attention to the NFL postseason.
Advertisement
Fourteen teams clinched a playoff spot and were competing for the chance to play in Super Bowl 60, until the wild-card round knocked six teams out of the competition. Now, eight remain in the hunt for the Lombardi Trophy.
With the Kansas City Chiefs missing the playoffs for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era, every team that makes the playoffs will see this as a prime opportunity to take advantage of their absence. However, the lack of a clear-cut top team will make this year’s playoffs even more interesting.
Here is a breakdown of the entire NFL bracket, including start times, TV networks and matchups.
NFL HQ:Live NFL scores | Updated NFL standings | Full NFL schedule
Advertisement
NFL playoff bracket 2026
Wild-card round
AFC
1. Denver Broncos (BYE)
2. New England Patriots 16, 7. Los Angeles Chargers 3
6. Buffalo Bills 27, 3 Jacksonville Jaguars 24
5. Houston Texans 30, 4. Pittsburgh Steelers 6
NFC
1. Seattle Seahawks (BYE)
2. Chicago Bears 31, No. 7 Green Bay Packers 27
6. San Francisco 49ers 23, 3. Philadelphia Eagles 19
5. Los Angeles Rams 34, 4. Carolina Panthers 31
Divisional round
AFC
1. Denver Broncos 33, 6. Buffalo Bills 30 (OT)
2. New England Patriots 28, No. 5 Houston Texans 16
NFC
1. Seattle Seahawks 41, 6. San Francisco 49ers 6
5. Los Angeles Rams 20, 2. Chicago Bears 17 (OT)
Advertisement
Championship round
AFC
1. Denver Broncos vs. 2. New England Patriots
NFC
Seattle Seahawks vs. Los Angeles Rams
Super Bowl
TBD vs. TBD
NFL Playoff schedule 2026Wild-card round
Saturday, Jan. 10
Matchup
Location
Time (ET)
TV Channel
Rams 34, Panthers 31
Charlotte, NC
—
—
Bears 31, Packers 27
Chicago, IL
—
—
Sunday, Jan. 11
Matchup
Location
Time (ET)
TV Channel
Bills 27, Jaguars 24
Jacksonville, FL
—
—
49ers 23, Eagles 19
Philadelphia, PA
—
—
Patriots 16, Chargers 3
Foxboro, MA
—
—
Monday, Jan. 12
Matchup
Location
Time (ET)
TV Channel
Texans 30, Steelers 6
Pittsburgh, PA
—
—
Divisional Round
Saturday, Jan. 17
Matchup
Location
Time (ET)
TV Channel
Broncos 33, Bills 30 (OT)
Denver, CO
—
—
Seahawks 41, 49ers 6
Seattle, WA
—
—
Sunday, Jan. 18
Matchup
Location
Time (ET)
TV Channel
Patriots 28, Texans 16
Foxborough, MA
—
—
Rams 20, Bears 17 (OT)
Chicago, IL
—
—
Championship round
Sunday, Jan. 25
Matchup
Location
Time (ET)
TV Channel
Patriots vs. Broncos
Denver, CO
3 p.m.
CBS
Rams vs. Seahawks
Seattle, WA
6:30 p.m.
Fox
Super Bowl
Sunday, Feb. 8
Matchup
Location
Time (ET)
TV Channel
TBD
Santa Clara, Ca.
6:30 p.m.
NBC
TV channels, live streams for NFL playoff games
All the usual networks and streaming services will broadcast at least one playoff game this year. CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN and Amazon will all get a game in the wild-card round, with either CBS, Fox or NBC getting to broadcast two games in the first week.
Advertisement
For the divisional round of the playoffs, CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN will all probably get one game apiece, while CBS and Fox will then get a game each for the conference championship round. Finally, NBC will close the season with the Super Bowl broadcast in February.
When do the NFL playoffs end 2026?
Wild-card round: Jan. 10-12
Divisional round: Jan. 17-18
Conference championships: Jan. 25
The NFL playoffs will begin on Jan. 10 and continue for the next three consecutive weeks. Then, after a week off, the season will wrap up on Sunday, Feb. 8 with Super Bowl 60 in Santa Clara, CA.