2026 NFL Playoffs: NFL Playoff Schedule
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Posted on Nov 26, 2025 | 07:00am
In the NFL, to make the playoffs, you need a top-notch game plan that's expertly executed across the regular season. Sound challenging? It is. To watch the playoffs, you pretty much just need to read this (or, our watch guide to the 2026 NFL playoffs!) – and you'll be prepped and ready to go. Sound doable? Let's go.
Scroll on for everything you need to know about the 2026 NFL playoff schedule, including a list of dates and times (where available), an overview of the postseason format, and a look at the current NFL playoff picture.
Get Started
The schedule is current as of publication, and is subject to change. Check back here for updates – on team matchups, game times, and TV assignments.
Wild Card round
*Note: CBS Sports is scheduled to present one Wild Card game. The NFL on CBS game will air live on CBS, and stream live on Paramount+.
Divisional round
*Note: CBS Sports will present one Divisional round game. The NFL on CBS game will air live on CBS, and stream live on Paramount+.
Championship round
AFC Championship Game
NFC Championship Game
Super Bowl
Super Bowl LX
As of this update, we're heading into Week 13 of the regular season. Currently, the Patriots are the No. 1 seed in the AFC, while Matthew Stafford and the Rams are the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Chiefs and Lions, both postseason powerhouses of recent years, are among the teams falling short of berths.
Here's a complete look at the teams that would be in the NFL playoff if the postseason were kicking off today. First up, the AFC standings.
AFC playoff picture, current as of Nov. 26:
And here are the NFC standings.
NFC playoff picture, current as of Nov. 26:
Check back for updates. And remember: Nothing is set. There are plenty of games to go – and plenty of twists and turns to come. You can follow along, and track the NFL playoff picture at CBSSports.com.
The AFC playoff bracket consists of the winners of the four conference divisions – the AFC East, AFC North, AFC South, AFC West – plus, three Wild Card teams.
The same goes for the NFC: There are four division winners (of the NFC East, NFC North, NFC South, NFC West, respectively), and three Wild Card teams.
A Wild Card team is a non-division-winning team that boasts one of the seven best records in its conference.
The postseason rounds occur in this order: Wild Card games, Divisional play, the conference Championship games, and, finally, Super Bowl action. The No. 1 seeds from the AFC and NFC earn first-round byes; they get to skip the Wild Card round, and advance directly to Divisional play. Those teams need to secure two big wins to advance to Super Bowl play; all the other postseason teams, from the No. 2 seed to the No. 7 seed in each conference, need to pull off three wins.
The neutral-site Super Bowl LX, meanwhile, is scheduled to be played at Levi's Stadium, the regular-season home of the 49ers, in Santa Clara, California.
Get Started
Scroll on for everything you need to know about the 2026 NFL playoff schedule, including a list of dates and times (where available), an overview of the postseason format, and a look at the current NFL playoff picture.
When do the NFL playoffs start?
The NFL playoffs start Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026-Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, with the games of the Wild Card round. Mark the road to the postseason with the help of our up-to-date NFL season schedule, with results.What is the 2026 NFL playoff schedule?
The 2026 NFL playoff schedule is not set, but we do have the outline. See below for a round-by-round look at how we'll go from the first postseason games all the way to the ultimate event: Super Bowl LX.The schedule is current as of publication, and is subject to change. Check back here for updates – on team matchups, game times, and TV assignments.
Wild Card round
- Dates: Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026-Monday, Jan. 12, 2026
- Times: TBD
- Teams: TBD
- Locations: TBD
- Channels: TBD*
- Streaming: TBD*
*Note: CBS Sports is scheduled to present one Wild Card game. The NFL on CBS game will air live on CBS, and stream live on Paramount+.
Divisional round
- Dates: Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026-Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026
- Times: TBD
- Teams: TBD
- Locations: TBD
- Channels: TBD*
- Streaming: TBD*
*Note: CBS Sports will present one Divisional round game. The NFL on CBS game will air live on CBS, and stream live on Paramount+.
Championship round
AFC Championship Game
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026
- Time: 3 PM, ET
- Teams: TBD
- Location: TBD
- Channel: CBS
- Streaming: Paramount+
NFC Championship Game
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026
- Time: 6:30 PM, ET
- Teams: TBD
- Location: TBD
- Channel: FOX
Super Bowl
Super Bowl LX
- Date: Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026
- Time: 6:30 PM, ET
- Teams: AFC champion vs. NFC champion
- Location: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
- Channel: NBC
- Streaming: Peacock
Who is in the NFL playoffs?
There is no answer yet to the question, "Who is in the NFL playoffs?" And, typically, there won't be a final answer until the final games of the final week of the regular season. The regular season runs through Week 18; this season, Week 18 games will be played from Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026-Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. The NFL playoffs start the very next weekend.What is the NFL playoff picture?
The NFL playoff picture is, as they say in Hollywood, in development. Right now, no team has locked up a spot. And plenty of teams are fighting for positions.As of this update, we're heading into Week 13 of the regular season. Currently, the Patriots are the No. 1 seed in the AFC, while Matthew Stafford and the Rams are the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Chiefs and Lions, both postseason powerhouses of recent years, are among the teams falling short of berths.
Here's a complete look at the teams that would be in the NFL playoff if the postseason were kicking off today. First up, the AFC standings.
AFC playoff picture, current as of Nov. 26:
And here are the NFC standings.
NFC playoff picture, current as of Nov. 26:
Check back for updates. And remember: Nothing is set. There are plenty of games to go – and plenty of twists and turns to come. You can follow along, and track the NFL playoff picture at CBSSports.com.
How many teams make the NFL playoffs?
A total of 14 teams make the NFL playoff -- seven from the AFC, and seven from the NFC.The AFC playoff bracket consists of the winners of the four conference divisions – the AFC East, AFC North, AFC South, AFC West – plus, three Wild Card teams.
The same goes for the NFC: There are four division winners (of the NFC East, NFC North, NFC South, NFC West, respectively), and three Wild Card teams.
A Wild Card team is a non-division-winning team that boasts one of the seven best records in its conference.
NFL playoff format: How do the NFL playoffs work?
The NFL playoffs work like this, briefly: Through three rounds of single-elimination, win-or-go home games, the AFC and NFC postseason teams are whittled down to two, one from each conference, who meet in search of history on the Super Bowl stage.The postseason rounds occur in this order: Wild Card games, Divisional play, the conference Championship games, and, finally, Super Bowl action. The No. 1 seeds from the AFC and NFC earn first-round byes; they get to skip the Wild Card round, and advance directly to Divisional play. Those teams need to secure two big wins to advance to Super Bowl play; all the other postseason teams, from the No. 2 seed to the No. 7 seed in each conference, need to pull off three wins.
Where will NFL playoff games be played?
Aside from Super Bowl LX, it's too early to say where this season's NFL playoff games will be played. That's because the locations for the Wild Card, Divisional and Championship games are determined by the NFL playoff bracket. In the first three rounds, the higher-seeded team plays host at its stadium to its lower-seeded opponent. And, in a quick review of bracketology, the lower your seed number (a la, No. 1) the higher your bracket ranking, and vice versa. So, for instance, in an NFL Divisional round game between a No. 2 seed and a No. 5 seed, home-field advantage goes to the No. 2 seed.The neutral-site Super Bowl LX, meanwhile, is scheduled to be played at Levi's Stadium, the regular-season home of the 49ers, in Santa Clara, California.