It’s in the NFL Playoffs where the best football of the season will be showcased. All the best teams come together to battle against each other on the road to a NFL Super Bowl and a chance to hoist the iconic Lombardi Trophy.
Below, we'll explain how the 2026 NFL Playoffs work, including when each round starts, where to watch, how the playoffs work, and everything you need to know for Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara.
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How Do The NFL Playoffs Work in 2026?
14 teams will make the NFL Playoffs in 2026. The teams are split evenly by conference (NFC, AFC), with seven coming from the AFC and seven from the NFC.
Each conference's bracket includes four divisional winners, who automatically earn the top four seeds. The other three teams are wild card teams, which are all the remaining teams in each division with the best records, seeded in order of best record.
The highest seeded team in each conference gets a bye in the Wild Card Round, and are guaranteed every game throughout the playoffs — which is why the regular season standings are so important.
After the Wild Card Round, the lowest-seeded remaining team will matched up with the No. 1 seed, while the two other teams will be paired up. The higher-seeded teams (i.e. No. 1, No. 2 seeds) get home-field advantage.
While MLB teams play 162 games and NBA teams play 82, NFL teams only get 17 regular season games, and the playoffs are single elimination, which means it's win or go home.
As of publishing, here are the teams that can still make the 2026 NFL Playoffs, withmany eliminated in both the NFC and AFC:
When And Where To Watch The NFL Playoffs?
We are less than a month away from NFL Playoff football. It’s important to plan ahead, especially when it comes to watching the most important sporting events of the year leading up to the Super Bowl. We’ll tell you where to tune in and when each game takes place.
Wild Card Weekend
- Dates: January 10-12, 2025
- Where To Watch: CBS, FOX, NBC, ABC, ESPN, ESPN+, Paramount+, Peacock and Amazon Prime
Divisional Round
- Dates: January 17-18
- Where To Watch: CBS, FOX, NBC, ABC, ESPN, ESPN+, Paramount+, Peacock and Amazon Prime
Conference Championships
- Date: Sunday, January 25, 2026
- Time: 3:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. ET
- Where To Watch: CBS (AFC) and FOX (NFC)
Super Bowl 60
- Date: Sunday, February 8, 2026
- Location: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.
- Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
- Where To Watch: NBC & Peacock
When is the 2026 Super Bowl?
Super Bowl LX is scheduled for Sunday, February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, home of the San Francisco 49ers. The 2026 Super Bowl is scheduled to kickoff at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Get all the details on the 2026 Super Bowl and Bad Bunny's halftime performance here.
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The Playbook keeps you in the game by offering expert picks, predictions, and analysis. Keep it here for more NFL coverage as we head into the 2026 NFL postseason.
