You want to know the current scenarios of the NFL Playoff Bracket? You can get the latest updates here and download the 2026 NFL playoff bracket in printable and PDF formats.
When are the NFL Playoffs 2026?
The 2026 NFL Playoffs start on Saturday, January 10, 2026. Wild Card games run from January 10 to January 12. The Divisional Playoff games happen on January 17th and 18th. The Conference Championship games take place on Sunday, January 25th, 2026.
The two remaining teams face off in the championship game at Super Bowl LX on Sunday, February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
The NFL playoffs bracket begins after the regular season ends. The top team from each conference gets a first-round bye. A total of 14 teams compete in the playoffs. Seven teams come from each conference.
You need the NFL playoffs bracket to track your team’s progress. It shows you the current race scenarios. You can see which teams got eliminated and which teams move forward to the next stage.
Current NFL Playoff Bracket 2026 (Road to the Super Bowl)
Here is the latest NFL Playoff Bracket after the Wild Card games:
Check our 2026 NFL Playoffs Predictor
Printable Blank NFL Playoff Bracket 2026
NFL Fans, we created a free NFL Playoff bracket that prints nicely for you. You can use it at home or at work. We want to help you stay on top of every playoff game.
Download the Printable blank NFL Playoff Bracket picture and PDF in both formats.
How Does the NFL Playoff Bracket Work?
The NFL Playoff Bracket determines the champion of the National Football League. It runs as a single-elimination tournament after the regular season ends.
Here is how it works:
Number of Teams
The playoff bracket includes 14 teams. Seven teams come from the American Football Conference (AFC). Seven teams come from the National Football Conference (NFC).
Division Winners and Wild Card Teams
Each conference sends four division winners and three wild card teams to the playoffs. Division winners are the teams with the best regular season records in their divisions. The next three teams with the best records become wild card teams.
Seeding
Teams get seeded one through seven in each conference. The seeding depends on their regular season records. Division winners take seeds 1 through 4 based on their records. Wild card teams fill seeds 5 through 7 based on their records. The division winner with the best record in each conference gets the top seed.
Bye Week
The top seeded team in each conference gets a bye in the first round. This means they skip the Wild Card Round completely. They advance straight to the Divisional Playoffs without playing a game.
Wild Card Round
The No. 2 seed plays the No. 7 seed. The No. 3 seed takes on the No. 6 seed. The No. 4 seed faces the No. 5 seed. Winners move on to the Divisional Playoffs.
Divisional Playoffs
The top seeded team plays the lowest seeded team that survived the Wild Card Round. The other two Wild Card Round winners play each other. Winners advance to the Conference Championships.
Conference Championships
The two remaining teams in each conference play for the conference title. The winner from each conference goes to the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl
The AFC champion meets the NFC champion in the Super Bowl. This game decides the NFL champion.
The NFL playoff bracket rewards teams that perform well during the regular season. Better records mean higher seeds. Higher seeds get home field advantage in early rounds. The top seed gets a first round bye. This single elimination format narrows the field down to two teams. These two teams compete in the Super Bowl.
2026 NFL Playoff Bracket FAQ
What is the format for the 2026 NFL Playoffs?
The 2026 NFL playoffs use a single elimination format with 14 teams. Seven teams come from each conference (AFC and NFC). Each conference has four division winners and three wild card teams. The No. 1 seed in each conference gets a bye in the first round. The other teams compete in the Wild Card Round.
How are teams seeded?
Teams get seeded based on their regular season records. The four division winners take the top four seeds in each conference. Their records determine the exact order. The three wild card teams fill seeds 5 through 7. Their records also determine the order. The No. 1 seed gets a bye to the Divisional Round. The No. 1 seed also gets home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
What is the schedule for the 2026 NFL Playoffs?
Wild Card Round: January 10-13, 2026
Divisional Round: January 17-18, 2026
Conference Championships: January 25, 2026
Super Bowl LX: February 8, 2026 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. You can visit here for the full schedule.
Do the NFL Playoffs reseed after each round?
Yes, the NFL reseeds teams after the Wild Card Round. The highest remaining seed in each conference plays the lowest remaining seed in the Divisional Round. This ensures the top seed always plays the lowest seeded team still in the playoffs.
Which channels will broadcast the 2026 NFL Playoffs?
The NFL playoffs air across several networks. You can watch games on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and ESPN. Amazon Prime Video will stream one Wild Card game exclusively. The networks will announce specific game times and channels closer to the playoff dates.
When is the Super Bowl 2026?
Super Bowl LX takes place on February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The game starts at 6:30 PM ET. NBC will broadcast the game.
