2026 NFL Playoffs Full Schedule: Dates, Times, Format, and How to Follow the Postseason in the U.S. and Canada

2026 NFL playoffs

Week 18 of the 2025 NFL season has delivered a dramatic finish, setting the stage for the 2026 NFL Playoffs. Entering the final day of the regular season, only two teams had their postseason positions locked in, while the rest of the league was still fighting for playoff spots, division titles, and seeding.

The Seattle Seahawks secured the No. 1 seed in the NFC, earning the conference’s lone first-round bye, while the Green Bay Packers were locked into the No. 7 seed. Beyond that, nearly every game on the Week 18 Sunday slate carried playoff implications.

Two division races in particular drew national attention. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens faced off with the AFC North title on the line, while the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints battled to decide the NFC South.

As the final whistle blows and the regular season concludes, the playoff picture comes into focus. With the bracket nearly set, attention now turns to the full postseason schedule, seeding format, and the path each team must navigate on the road to the Super Bowl.

Read more:

- NFL Playoffs 2026 Viewing Guide: Best Games, Busiest Days, and What Matters Most

- Can You Watch the NFL Playoffs 2026 for Free? and How to Watch Legally?

- Super Bowl 2026: Time, Date, Location, Teams, Tickets, TV Channels and Streaming Options to Watch Live

- Which Teams Are in the 2026 NFL Playoffs: Full List, Seeds, and Bracket Breakdown

Note: All kickoff times are listed in U.S. Eastern Time (ET), which also aligns with Canada Eastern Time.

Wild Card Weekend (January 10–12, 2026)

The opening round of the playoffs features five games across three days, continuing the format the league has used in recent seasons.

January 10–12, 2026

Wild Card Weekend features five games across three days, with only the No. 1 seed in each conference receiving a bye.

Saturday, January 10

• Game 1: Afternoon window (around 4:30 p.m. ET)

• Game 2: Prime-time window (around 8:00 p.m. ET)

Sunday, January 11

• Game 3: Early afternoon window (around 1:00 p.m. ET)

• Game 4: Late afternoon window (around 4:30 p.m. ET)

• Game 5: Sunday night window (around 8:15 p.m. ET)

Monday, January 12

• Game 6: Monday night Wild Card game (around 8:15 p.m. ET)

What to know:

• Seeds 2–7 in each conference compete

• Higher-seeded teams host

• All games are single elimination

This round is traditionally the most unpredictable stage of the playoffs.

What fans should know:

• Only the No. 1 seed in each conference receives a bye

• Seeds 2–7 compete this weekend

• All games are hosted by the higher-seeded team

• Every matchup is single elimination

Wild Card Weekend is traditionally the most unpredictable phase of the playoffs, often producing upsets and breakout performances.

Read more: NFL Black Monday 2026 Explained: Which Head Coaches Are Most Likely to Be Fired

Divisional Round (January 17–18, 2026)

January 17–18, 2026

The Divisional Round brings the league’s top seeds into action.

Saturday, January 17

• Divisional Game 1: Late afternoon window

• Divisional Game 2: Prime-time window

Sunday, January 18

• Divisional Game 3: Mid-afternoon window

• Divisional Game 4: Early evening window

Key details:

• Four teams remain in each conference entering the weekend

• Matchups are reseeded

• The highest remaining seed hosts each game

This round is widely considered the most competitive in terms of overall team quality.

Many fans consider this the highest-quality round of the postseason, as elite teams face opponents who already proved themselves the week before.

Conference Championship Games (January 25, 2026)

Sunday, January 25, 2026

Championship Sunday determines the AFC and NFC champions.

• AFC Championship Game: Afternoon window (around 3:00 p.m. ET)

• NFC Championship Game: Evening window (around 6:30 p.m. ET)

The winners advance to the Super Bowl, while the losers see their seasons end one step short of the league’s biggest stage.

Super Bowl LX (February 8, 2026)

Kickoff: Approximately 6:30 p.m. ET

• Location: Neutral-site host stadium

• Broadcast: National coverage in the U.S. and Canada

Super Bowl LX concludes the 2025–26 NFL season and remains the most-watched sporting event in North America.

How to Watch the NFL Playoffs in the U.S. and Canada

United States

NFL playoff games air across the league’s primary broadcast partners:

• CBS

• FOX

• NBC

• ESPN

Many games are available free over the air with a digital antenna. Streaming is also available via official network apps and live TV streaming services.

Canada

Canadian viewers can follow the entire postseason through:

• TSN – comprehensive playoff coverage

• CTV – select games including major rounds

Streaming options are available through TSN’s and CTV’s official platforms, ensuring full national access.

Read more: Can You Watch the NFL Playoffs 2026 for Free? and How to Watch Legally?

How the NFL Playoff Format Works

• 14 teams qualify (7 AFC, 7 NFC)

• Only one bye per conference

• Single-elimination bracket

• Home-field advantage awarded to higher seeds

• Reseeding occurs after each round

This structure places a premium on regular-season performance and makes every playoff game decisive.

Final Takeaway

The 2026 NFL Playoffs follow a proven format that balances competitive fairness with fan accessibility. From a three-day Wild Card Weekend to Championship Sunday and Super Bowl LX, the road to the title is intense, compact, and unforgiving.

This article sets the stage. In the coming weeks, deeper coverage will break down matchups, seeding implications, viewing options, and team-by-team storylines.