The NFL playoff bracket shows the complete path to Super Bowl LX. Fourteen teams compete across three rounds of single-elimination games. The bracket helps fans track which teams advance and which go home. All matchups are now set after Week 18 concluded on January 5, 2026.
This guide covers the complete 2026 NFL playoff bracket, full schedule with confirmed matchups, TV channel information and free downloadable bracket templates.
2026 NFL Playoff Full Schedule
The 2026 NFL playoffs start on Saturday, January 10 with Wild Card Weekend. The postseason ends with Conference Championship games on Sunday, January 25, 2026. Super Bowl LX takes place on Sunday, February 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
The Divisional Round happens on January 17 and 18. Here are the key dates for the NFL postseason at a glance:
- Wild Card games: January 10-12
- Divisional games: January 17-18
- Conference championships: January 25
- Pro Bowl 2026: Sunday, February 1
- Super Bowl LX: Sunday, February 8
Here is the complete schedule with TV channels and confirmed matchups:
| Date | Round | Matchup | Location | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Jan 10, 2026 | Wild Card Round | (5) LA Rams at (4) Carolina Panthers | Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC | 4:30 PM | FOX |
| Sat, Jan 10, 2026 | Wild Card Round | (7) Green Bay Packers at (2) Chicago Bears | Soldier Field, Chicago, IL | 8:00 PM | Amazon Prime Video |
| Sun, Jan 11, 2026 | Wild Card Round | (6) Buffalo Bills at (3) Jacksonville Jaguars | TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, FL | 1:00 PM | CBS/Paramount+ |
| Sun, Jan 11, 2026 | Wild Card Round | (6) San Francisco 49ers at (3) Philadelphia Eagles | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA | 4:30 PM | FOX |
| Sun, Jan 11, 2026 | Wild Card Round | (7) LA Chargers at (2) New England Patriots | Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA | 8:00 PM | NBC/Peacock |
| Mon, Jan 12, 2026 | Wild Card Round | (5) Houston Texans at (4) Pittsburgh Steelers | Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA | 8:00 PM | ESPN/ABC |
| Sat, Jan 17, 2026 | Divisional Round | Lowest Seed at (1) Denver Broncos | Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, CO | 4:30 PM | TBA |
| Sat, Jan 17, 2026 | Divisional Round | AFC Divisional Game | TBD | 8:15 PM | TBA |
| Sun, Jan 18, 2026 | Divisional Round | Lowest Seed at (1) Seattle Seahawks | Lumen Field, Seattle, WA | 3:00 PM | TBA |
| Sun, Jan 18, 2026 | Divisional Round | NFC Divisional Game | TBD | 6:30 PM | TBA |
| Sun, Jan 25, 2026 | AFC Championship | AFC Team at AFC Team | Highest Remaining Seed | 3:00 PM | CBS/Paramount+ |
| Sun, Jan 25, 2026 | NFC Championship | NFC Team at NFC Team | Highest Remaining Seed | 6:30 PM | FOX |
| Sun, Feb 8, 2026 | Super Bowl LX | AFC Champ vs NFC Champ | Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA | 6:30 PM | NBC/Peacock |
The NFL reseeds teams after Wild Card Weekend. The highest remaining seed always hosts in the Divisional Round.
TV Coverage and Live Streaming Info
The 2026 NFL playoff games air on CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, ABC, Peacock and Amazon Prime Video.
The Wild Card round spreads across three days with six games. FOX broadcasts two games on Saturday and Sunday. Amazon Prime Video airs Saturday’s late game. CBS and Paramount+ stream Sunday’s early game. NBC and Peacock carry Sunday’s primetime matchup. ESPN and ABC split Monday night’s broadcast.
The Divisional Round will air on CBS, FOX, NBC and possibly ESPN or ABC. Networks announce exact assignments after Wild Card Weekend concludes. The Conference Championships split between FOX for the NFC game and CBS for the AFC game.
Super Bowl LX culminates the NFL playoffs on NBC and Peacock. You can watch games on fuboTV, DirecTV Stream, YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV. All these services carry playoff games. NFL+ offers an affordable mobile streaming option.
These streaming services offer free trials for new subscribers who want to watch NFL playoffs online.
Where to Download a Free Printable & Fillable NFL Playoff Bracket
We created a printable and editable NFL playoff bracket for you. It’s completely free. You can download it in blank and fillable PDF format from the links below.
The fillable version lets you type in team names and scores. The printable version works great for printing and filling out by hand. Both formats include space for all playoff rounds from Wild Card Weekend through Super Bowl LX.
How Does the NFL Playoff Bracket Work in 2026?
The NFL playoff bracket is a single-elimination tournament. One loss sends a team home. The format determines the NFL champion through three rounds plus the Super Bowl.
Teams: Fourteen teams make the playoffs. Seven teams come from each conference (AFC and NFC). Four division winners and three wild card teams qualify from each conference.
Seeding: Teams rank 1 through 7 based on regular season records. The top team (Seed 1) in each conference gets a bye in the first round. They advance directly to the Divisional Round without playing.
Wild Card Weekend: The other six teams in each conference play in the Wild Card round. The matchups work like this:
- Seed 2 plays Seed 7
- Seed 3 plays Seed 6
- Seed 4 plays Seed 5
The higher-seeded team hosts each game.
Divisional Round: The top-seeded team (Seed 1) plays the lowest remaining seed from Wild Card Weekend. The other two winners also play. The higher seed hosts both games.
Conference Championships: The last two teams in each conference play for the chance to reach the Super Bowl. The higher seed hosts the game.
2026 Super Bowl: The AFC and NFC champions meet in Super Bowl LX on Sunday, February 8, 2026 at Levi’s Stadium. The winner becomes the NFL champion.
Current Bracket Status: The AFC bracket features Denver Broncos as the No. 1 seed with a bye. The Patriots host the Chargers. The Jaguars face the Bills. The Steelers take on the Texans.
The NFC bracket has Seattle Seahawks as the No. 1 seed with a bye. The Bears host the Packers in a rivalry game. The Eagles welcome the 49ers. The Panthers face the Rams in Carolina’s first playoff game since 2017.
Every game matters in this win-or-go-home format. The road to Super Bowl LX starts January 10, 2026.