When do the NFL playoffs start in 2026? Date, TV schedule & updated AFC, NFC playoff brackets

The road to Super Bowl 60 is about to get underway.

While one could argue the journey began long ago for every team in the playoff conversation, the 14 teams that earn a spot in the NFL bracket are about to get a taste of win-or-go-home action with everything on the line.

The reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles have hit a few bumps this season, but they are back in the playoffs hungry to repeat. In the AFC, a power vacuum has opened up. The Kansas City Chiefs missed the playoffs after winning the conference in five of the last six years, setting the stage for new blood as young quarterbacks Drake Maye and Bo Nix take center-stage. 

All 14 teams are hoping to make it to Santa Clara in February and compete for a championship on American sports' biggest stage.

Here's everything you need to know about the NFL playoffs and when they start.

MORE: Six reasons Chiefs missed the playoffs

When do the NFL playoffs start in 2026?

• Wild-card round: Jan. 10-12
• Divisional round: Jan. 17-18
• Conference Championships: Jan. 25
• Pro Bowl: Feb. 3
• Super Bowl: Feb. 8

The NFL playoffs will kick off with wild-card weekend, starting on Saturday, Jan. 10. Wild-card weekend will feature six games, with two on Saturday, three on Sunday and one on Monday night.

The divisional round will take place the following weekend, followed by the conference championship games on Jan. 25 and Super Bowl 60 on Feb. 8. 

2026 NFL playoff bracket

Here is a look at the NFL playoff bracket heading into the final week of the regular season:

AFC

1. Denver Broncos (BYE)
2. New England Patriots vs. 7. Buffalo Bills
3. Jacksonville Jaguars vs. 6. Los Angeles Chargers
4. Pittsburgh Steelers vs. 5. Houston Texans

NFC

1. Seattle Seahawks (BYE)
2. Chicago Bears vs. 7. Green Bay Packers
3. Philadelphia Eagles vs. 6. Los Angeles Rams
4. Carolina Panthers vs. 5. Seattle Seahawks 

MORE: 2025 Fantasy Football Awards

NFL playoff schedule 2026

Wild-card round

Saturday, Jan. 10

Sunday, Jan. 11

Monday, Jan. 12

Divisional round

Saturday, Jan. 17

Sunday, Jan. 18

Conference championships

Sunday, Jan. 25

Super Bowl 60

Sunday, Feb. 8

MORE: NFL playoffs QB confidence meter

How do the NFL playoffs work?

The NFL playoffs see 14 teams enter the postseason, seven from each conference.

The top overall seed in the AFC and NFC both receive a bye for the Wild Card round. The No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 seeds are assigned to division winners and also come with home-field advantage in the first round. The final three spots in each conference are wild-card teams and go on the road in the first round. 

The No. 1 seeds take the field in the Division Round and host the lowest seed remaining. It isn't a bracket format throughout, so if the No. 5 and No. 6 seeds win and the No. 7 seed loses, the No. 6 seed would then take on the No. 1 seed while the No. 5 would take on the best remaining seed. 

The two winners from the Division Round advance to the Championship Round, which is also hosted by the better seed. This then leads to the one neutral site game of the playoffs, the Super Bowl, and pits the remaining AFC and NFC teams against each other. 

When working through seeding, hierarchy is determined by win-loss-tie record. With only 17 games on the schedule, there are often ties between two or even three teams.

Here is the thorough tiebreaker system the league came up with to combat this:

To break a two-team tie within a division

1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games between the clubs).
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
5. Strength of victory in all games.
6. Strength of schedule in all games
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
9. Best net points in common games.
10. Best net points in all games.
11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
12. Coin toss

To break a three-team tie within a division

1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games among the clubs).
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
5. Strength of victory in all games.
6. Strength of schedule in all games.
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
9. Best net points in common games.
10. Best net points in all games.
11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
12. Coin toss

To break a two-team Wild-Card tie (different divisions)

1. Head-to-head, if applicable.
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.
4. Strength of victory in all games.
5. Strength of schedule in all games.
6. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
7. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
8. Best net points in conference games.
9. Best net points in all games.
10. Best net touchdowns in all games.
11. Coin toss.

To break a three-team Wild-Card tie (different divisions)

1. Apply division tiebreaker to eliminate all but the highest ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to step 2. The original seeding within a division upon application of the division tiebreaker remains the same for all subsequent applications of the procedure that are necessary to identify the two Wild-Card participants.
2. Head-to-head sweep. (Applicable only if one club has defeated each of the others or if one club has lost to each of the others.)
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four.
5. Strength of victory in all games.
6. Strength of schedule in all games.
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed in all games.
9. Best net points in conference games.
10. Best net points in all games.
11. Best net touchdowns in all games.
12. Coin toss

Note from the League: If two clubs remain tied after one or more clubs are eliminated during any step, tiebreaker restarts at Step 1 of two-club format. If three clubs remain tied after a fourth club is eliminated during any step, tiebreaker restarts at Step 2 of three-club format.

Current 2026 NFL playoff picture

Here is how the playoff picture shakes out entering Week 18.

AFC

NFC