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2026 NFL Playoffs explainer: How does the format work?
The road to the Super Bowl truly begins on Saturday with the playoffs getting underway with Wild Card Weekend.
The Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks secured the number one seeds in the AFC and NFC respectively, meaning they do not enter the fray until the Divisional Round after the 12 remaining teams have clashed in the Wild Card slate.
This field of teams will slowly get whittled down to just an AFC champion and NFC champion who will then go head-to-head at Super Bowl LX in San Francisco.
But how does the NFL Playoff format work? DAZN News explains it all.
How many teams qualify?
The NFL expanded its current playoff format to 14 teams in 2020. Seven teams from the AFC and seven from the NFC will make up the field.
The previous system saw six teams from each conference qualify. Now, three wildcard teams will join the four divisional winners.
How does the format work?
The NFL playoffs feature three rounds of playoff games before the Super Bowl. Those rounds are Wild Card Weekend, the Divisional Round, and the Conference Championship games.
Under the current system, 12 of the 14 teams must play in all three rounds.
The number one seeds in the AFC and NFC, the Broncos and Seahawks, get a bye into the Divisional Round meaning they do not play on Wild Card Weekend.
These two teams also get the privilege of playing all their playoff games at home. In addition to having the bye week, those two teams will always play the lowest remaining seed for their playoff matches.
The rest of the seedings determine the matches for Wild Card Weekend.
How many teams advance from Wild Card Weekend?
Three teams from each conference will advance from Wild Card Weekend to the Divisional Round.
They will join the top seeds, meaning that the field of 14 will drop to eight.
That will again halve for the Conference Championship games.
When is the Super Bowl?
Super Bowl LX will take place on Sunday February 8, at Levi's Stadium in Sant Clara, California, and it will be broadcast live on DAZN (excluding the US and China).
Which teams are in the 2026 NFL Playoffs?
AFC
- Denver Broncos (14-3, AFC West winner)
- New England Patriots (14-3, AFC East winner)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (13-4, AFC South winner)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7, AFC North winner)
- Houston Texans (12-5, second in AFC South)
- Buffalo Bills (12-5, second in AFC East)
- Los Angeles Chargers (12-5, second in AFC West)
NFC
- Seattle Seahawks (14-3, NFC West winner)
- Chicago Bears (11-6, NFC North winner)
- Philadelphia Eagles (11-6, NFC East winner)
- Carolina Panthers (8-9, NFC South winner)
- Los Angeles Rams (12-5, second in NFC West)
- San Francisco 49ers (12-5, third in NFC West)
- Green Bay Packers (9-7-1, second in NFC North)
2026 NFL Playoffs: Wild Card Weekend schedule
Saturday, January 10
- Carolina Panthers vs. Los Angeles Rams - 4.30pm ET / 1.30pm PT / 9.30pm GMT
- Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers - 8pm ET / 5pm PT / 1am GMT (Sunday)
Sunday, January 11
- Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Buffalo Bills - 1pm ET / 10am PT / 6pm GMT
- Philadelphia Eagles vs. San Francisco 49ers - 4.30pm ET / 1.30pm PT / 9.30pm GMT
- New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Chargers - 8pm ET / 5pm PT / 1am GMT (Monday)
Monday, January 12
- Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Houston Texans - 8pm ET / 5pm PT / 1am GMT (Tuesday)
Watch all of the NFL playoffs on DAZN for only £19.99
DAZN's early playoff deal has landed, giving you every game of the NFL postseason for only £19.99.
The offer drops ahead of what promises to be an action-packed Wild Card weekend, when the San Francisco 49ers take on the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Chicago Bears host the Green Bay Packers.
In addition to every game, live or on demand, Game Pass also provides access to RedZone, NFL Network, and DAZN’s weekly original shows, including Downs 2 Business, Kittle Things, and X's & O's coaching breakdown.
