The NFL playoffs are here, and the postseason will play out quite differently than it has every other year this decade.
For the first time in eight years, the Kansas City Chiefs will not play in the AFC championship game. In fact, they won’t play again until September. The Chiefs missed the playoffs for the first time in 11 years after stumbling their way to elimination in mid-December.
Who will fill the Chiefs-sized void on the AFC side of the bracket? Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills are strong candidates, but they ceded the AFC East to the up-and-coming New England Patriots. The Denver Broncos, meanwhile, have positioned themselves as legitimate Super Bowl contenders behind a stellar defense.
The NFC includes a few more familiar faces, including the San Francisco 49ers and reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles, but it would be hard to say one particular team separated itself during the regular season. For that reason, the path to Super Bowl 60 could be more unpredictable than ever before.
Here’s a complete look at the NFL playoff bracket and schedule, including TV information.
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NFL playoff bracket 2026
This section will be updated when the bracket is finalized.
NFL playoff schedule 2026
Wild-card round
Saturday, Jan. 10
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV channel |
| Rams vs. Panthers | 4:30 p.m. | Fox |
| Packers vs. Bears | 8 p.m. | Amazon Prime Video |
Sunday, Jan. 11
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV channel |
| Bills vs. Jaguars | 1 p.m. | CBS |
| 49ers vs. Eagles | 4:30 p.m. | Fox |
| Chargers vs. Patriots | 8:15 p.m. | NBC |
Monday, Jan. 12
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV channel |
| Texans vs. Steelers | 8:15 p.m. | ESPN/ABC |
Divisional round
Saturday, Jan. 17
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV channel |
| TBD | 4:30 p.m. | TBD |
| TBD | 8:15 p.m. | TBD |
Sunday, Jan. 18
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV channel |
| TBD | 3 p.m. | TBD |
| TBD | 6:30 p.m. | TBD |
Conference championships
Sunday, Jan. 25
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV channel |
| TBD (AFC) | 3 p.m. | CBS |
| TBD (NFC) | 6:30 p.m. | Fox |
Super Bowl 60
Sunday, Feb. 8
| Matchup | Time (ET) | TV channel |
| TBD | 6:30 p.m. | NBC |
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When is Super Bowl 60 in 2026?
- Date: Sunday, Feb. 8
- Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
Super Bowl 60 will be played at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, the home of the 49ers.
Levi's Stadium opened in 2014 and previously hosted the Denver Broncos' Super Bowl 50 win over the Carolina Panthers.
How to watch NFL playoff games on TV
- ESPN, ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, Amazon Prime Video
The NFL playoffs will air on many of the same networks that broadcasted regular season games.
CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC/ESPN and Amazon Prime Video will all host wild-card playoff games, with Prime Video's game the only exclusively streaming playoff game this year. The divisional round is expected to be split between ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, while CBS will air the AFC championship game and Fox will air the NFC championship game.
Super Bowl 60 will air on NBC, with Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth on the call from Levi's Stadium.
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- SN's latest 2026 NFL mock draft for non-playoff teams