The 2026 NFL Playoffs start on January 10 with Wild Card Weekend. The postseason ends with Super Bowl LX on February 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Fourteen teams will compete for the Vince Lombardi Trophy across four rounds of single-elimination games.
What Time is the NFL Playoffs 2026?
NFL playoff games air at different times throughout the postseason. The league schedules games to maximize viewership across all U.S. time zones. Wild Card Weekend features the most games with six matchups spread over three days.
Saturday Wild Card games typically start at 4:30 PM ET and 8:00 PM ET. Sunday games begin at 1:00 PM ET, 4:30 PM ET and 8:15 PM ET. The Monday night Wild Card game kicks off at 8:15 PM ET.
Divisional Round games air on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday games start at 4:30 PM ET and 8:15 PM ET. Sunday matchups begin at 3:00 PM ET and 6:30 PM ET.
Conference Championship games both take place on Sunday. The AFC Championship kicks off at 3:00 PM ET while the NFC Championship starts at 6:30 PM ET.
Super Bowl LX has a 6:30 PM ET kickoff on Sunday, February 8, 2026. This allows fans across the country to watch the game during primetime hours.
NFL Playoffs 2026: All U.S. Time Zones
| Game Type | Eastern (ET) | Central (CT) | Mountain (MT) | Pacific (PT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Card Sat (Early) | 4:30 PM | 3:30 PM | 2:30 PM | 1:30 PM |
| Wild Card Sat (Late) | 8:00 PM | 7:00 PM | 6:00 PM | 5:00 PM |
| Wild Card Sun (Early) | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 10:00 AM |
| Wild Card Sun (Afternoon) | 4:30 PM | 3:30 PM | 2:30 PM | 1:30 PM |
| Wild Card Sun (Night) | 8:15 PM | 7:15 PM | 6:15 PM | 5:15 PM |
| Wild Card Monday | 8:15 PM | 7:15 PM | 6:15 PM | 5:15 PM |
| Divisional Sat (Early) | 4:30 PM | 3:30 PM | 2:30 PM | 1:30 PM |
| Divisional Sat (Late) | 8:15 PM | 7:15 PM | 6:15 PM | 5:15 PM |
| Divisional Sun (Early) | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM |
| Divisional Sun (Late) | 6:30 PM | 5:30 PM | 4:30 PM | 3:30 PM |
| AFC Championship | 3:00 PM | 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 12:00 PM |
| NFC Championship | 6:30 PM | 5:30 PM | 4:30 PM | 3:30 PM |
| Super Bowl LX | 6:30 PM | 5:30 PM | 4:30 PM | 3:30 PM |
West Coast fans can watch most playoff games during afternoon and evening hours. East Coast viewers get primetime coverage for night games. The Super Bowl kicks off at 3:30 PM PT to accommodate viewers across all time zones.
2026 NFL Playoffs Full Schedule
NFL Wild Card Games (January 10-12, 2026)
Wild Card Weekend features six games over three days. The #2 seed hosts the #7 seed while #3 plays #6 and #4 takes on #5 in each conference.
| Date | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV Channel | Streaming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, Jan 10 | TBA at TBA | 4:30 PM | Prime, CBS or FOX | TBA |
| Saturday, Jan 10 | TBA at TBA | 8:00 PM | Prime, CBS or FOX | TBA |
| Sunday, Jan 11 | TBA at TBA | 1:00 PM | Prime, CBS or FOX | TBA |
| Sunday, Jan 11 | TBA at TBA | 4:30 PM | Prime, CBS or FOX | TBA |
| Sunday, Jan 11 | TBA at TBA | 8:15 PM | NBC | Peacock |
| Monday, Jan 12 | TBA at TBA | 8:15 PM | ESPN/ABC | ESPN+ |
NFL Divisional Games (January 17-18, 2026)
The #1 seeds enter the playoffs during the Divisional Round. The highest seed plays the lowest remaining seed.
| Date | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV Channel | Streaming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, Jan 17 | TBA at TBA | 4:30 PM | TBA | TBA |
| Saturday, Jan 17 | TBA at TBA | 8:15 PM | TBA | TBA |
| Sunday, Jan 18 | TBA at TBA | 3:00 PM | TBA | TBA |
| Sunday, Jan 18 | TBA at TBA | 6:30 PM | TBA | TBA |
NFL Conference Championship (January 25, 2026)
| Conference | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV Channel | Streaming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFC Championship | AFC at AFC | 3:00 PM | CBS | Paramount+ |
| NFC Championship | NFC at NFC | 6:30 PM | FOX | FOX One |
Super Bowl LX (February 8, 2026)
| Date | Sunday, February 8, 2026 |
| Kickoff Time | 6:30 PM ET / 3:30 PM PT |
| Location | Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California |
| TV Channel | NBC |
| Streaming | Peacock |
| Halftime Show | Bad Bunny |
Bad Bunny becomes the first Latin male artist to headline a Super Bowl halftime show.
2026 NFL Playoffs TV Channels & Broadcast Rights
CBS broadcasts one Wild Card game, one Divisional game and the AFC Championship. All CBS games stream on Paramount+.
NBC airs Super Bowl LX plus select Wild Card and Divisional games. You can stream NBC games on Peacock.
FOX covers NFC playoff games including Wild Card, Divisional and the NFC Championship.
ESPN and ABC simulcast one Wild Card game on Monday night. This game streams on ESPN+.
Prime Video streams one exclusive Wild Card game for Amazon Prime members.
How to Live Stream NFL Playoffs 2026
You can watch every playoff game without cable through these streaming services:
- Paramount+ streams all CBS games for $7.99 per month.
- Peacock shows NBC games and Super Bowl LX for $7.99 per month.
- Prime Video includes one Wild Card game with your Prime membership.
- YouTube TV ($72.99/month) carries all playoff channels.
- Hulu + Live TV ($76.99/month) includes CBS, NBC, FOX, ABC and ESPN.
- FuboTV ($79.99/month) offers all major networks.
- NFL+ provides mobile streaming for $6.99 per month.
You can also watch games free with an over-the-air antenna. CBS, NBC, FOX and ABC broadcast games that an antenna can pick up at no cost.
Current NFL Playoff Picture (Week 13)
The playoff race is tight as teams enter the final weeks of the regular season.
AFC Standings:
| Seed | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New England Patriots | 10-2 |
| 2 | Denver Broncos | 9-2 |
| 3 | Indianapolis Colts | 8-3 |
| 4 | Baltimore Ravens | 6-5 |
| 5 | Los Angeles Chargers | 7-4 |
| 6 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 7-4 |
| 7 | Buffalo Bills | 7-4 |
The Patriots lead the AFC while the Chiefs sit outside the playoff picture at 6-5.
NFC Standings:
| Seed | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles Rams | 9-2 |
| 2 | Philadelphia Eagles | 8-3 |
| 3 | Chicago Bears | 8-3 |
| 4 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 6-5 |
| 5 | Seattle Seahawks | 8-3 |
| 6 | Green Bay Packers | 7-3-1 |
| 7 | San Francisco 49ers | 8-4 |
The Rams control the top seed while the 49ers hold the final playoff spot. The playoff picture will change as Week 18 concludes on January 4. You can also check the latest playoff full picture from here.
How the NFL Playoff Format Works
Fourteen teams make the playoffs with seven from each conference. Each conference sends four division winners and three Wild Card teams.
The #1 seed in each conference gets a first-round bye. This team skips Wild Card Weekend and goes straight to the Divisional Round.
All playoff games use single elimination. One loss ends your season. The higher seed hosts every game except the Super Bowl.
Playoff games go to overtime when tied at the end of regulation. Both teams get at least one possession unless the first team scores a touchdown. Games continue until someone wins.
2026 NFL Playoffs FAQs
When do the 2026 NFL Playoffs start?
The playoffs begin Saturday, January 10, 2026 with Wild Card Weekend.
Where is Super Bowl LX being played?
Super Bowl LX takes place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
What channels show NFL playoff games?
CBS, NBC, FOX, ABC, ESPN and Prime Video broadcast playoff games.
Can I stream playoffs without cable?
Yes. Use Paramount+, Peacock, ESPN+ or Prime Video. You can also try YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV or FuboTV.
How many teams make the playoffs?
Fourteen teams qualify with seven from the AFC and seven from the NFC.
What is a playoff bye week?
The #1 seed in each conference skips Wild Card Weekend and advances straight to the Divisional Round.
The 2026 NFL Playoffs kick off January 10 with six Wild Card games. Super Bowl LX happens February 8 at Levi’s Stadium with NBC broadcasting the game. You can watch on CBS, NBC, FOX, ABC, ESPN and Prime Video.
Streaming options include Paramount+, Peacock and other services. The playoff picture finalizes after Week 18 on January 4. Bookmark this page for updates as teams secure their postseason spots.