NFL Playoff Schedule 2026: Wild Card Weekend Set to Begin with Exciting Matchups

The Road to Super Bowl LX Begins

The NFL playoffs are finally here, and the 2025 NFL playoff field is set, and an exciting wild-card round looms. After a thrilling conclusion to the regular season, 14 teams are now preparing for their championship runs. The Super Bowl will be played Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, giving fans across the globe a date to circle on their calendars.

The 14th and final playoff spot wasn’t clinched until the final seconds on Sunday night when the Ravens kicker Tyler Loop missed a 44-yard field goal on the final play of the game to give Pittsburgh a 26-24 victory. This dramatic finish exemplifies why the NFL playoffs generate such excitement and why the schedule announcement is highly anticipated by millions of fans.

Wild Card Weekend Schedule

Wild-card weekend will feature games on Jan. 10, 11 and 12. Games in the divisional round will be on Jan. 17 and 18. The action begins on Saturday, January 10, with the Rams at Panthers at 4:30 p.m. ET (Fox) and Packers at Bears at 8 p.m. ET (Amazon Prime).

Sunday’s slate includes Bills at Jaguars at 1 p.m. ET (CBS) and 49ers at Eagles at 4:30 p.m. ET (Fox). The wild card round concludes Monday night with Texans at Steelers at 8 p.m. ET (ESPN/ABC).

Top Seeds Earn First-Round Byes

The No. 1 seeds in each conference — the Broncos in the AFC and Seahawks in the NFC — will receive first-round byes. This advantage proves crucial in the playoff format, giving these teams extra rest and preparation time while their potential opponents battle through wild card weekend.

The Broncos and Seahawks will both host a game in the divisional round after getting a bye in the wild card round. Both teams finished the regular season with impressive 14-3 records and earned home-field advantage throughout their respective conference playoffs.

Championship Sunday and Beyond

Following the wild card and divisional rounds, the AFC Championship will be played at 3 p.m. and NFC Championship at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 25. CBS will air the AFC championship game and Fox will air the NFC championship game, maintaining the networks’ traditional conference coverage.

For UK fans and international viewers, the NFL playoff schedule offers compelling viewing throughout January and into February, with multiple broadcast and streaming options ensuring comprehensive coverage across all platforms.