How Many Teams Make the NFL Playoffs? Format, Seeding & 2027 Dates
Fourteen teams make the NFL playoffs: seven from the AFC and seven from the NFC. In each conference the four division winners and three wild card teams qualify, and only the No. 1 seed skips the first round. The 2026 season is the seventh straight year of this 14-team format, and the playoffs begin on January 16, 2027.
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How Many Teams Make the NFL Playoffs in 2027?
14 of the league’s 32 teams, a little under half. The field is split evenly between the two conferences:
| Spot | AFC | NFC | How they get in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Division winners | 4 | 4 | Best record in each division |
| Wild cards | 3 | 3 | Best records among the non-division winners |
| Total | 7 | 7 | 14 teams in all |
The four division winners are seeded 1 to 4 by record. The three wild cards are seeded 5 to 7. A division winner always gets one of the top four seeds and a home game, even if a wild card team finished with a better record.
How the NFL Playoff Seeding Works
| Seed | Who | First round |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Division winner with the best record | Bye, then home in the Divisional Round |
| 2 | Division winner | Hosts the No. 7 seed |
| 3 | Division winner | Hosts the No. 6 seed |
| 4 | Division winner | Hosts the No. 5 seed |
| 5 | Wild card with the best record | At No. 4 |
| 6 | Second wild card | At No. 3 |
| 7 | Third wild card | At No. 2 |
When teams finish with the same record, the NFL breaks the tie step by step: head-to-head results first, then records within the division or conference, common games, strength of victory and strength of schedule, ending with a coin toss if nothing else separates them.
Follow the race as it happens on our live NFL playoff picture and the full NFL standings.
How the Playoff Rounds Work
- Wild Card round: 6 games. Seeds 2 to 7 in each conference play, and the higher seed hosts.
- Divisional round: 4 games. The No. 1 seed hosts the lowest seed left, and the other two winners meet at the higher seed. The bracket is reseeded, so it never stays fixed.
- Conference Championships: 2 games, the AFC and NFC title games, hosted by the higher seed.
- Super Bowl: 1 game at a neutral site between the two conference champions.
That makes 13 playoff games in all. Every game is single elimination: one loss and the season is over. In overtime both teams get a chance to have the ball, a rule the NFL adopted for the playoffs in 2022.
2027 NFL Playoff Schedule
| Round | Date | Games |
|---|---|---|
| Wild Card weekend | Saturday, January 16 to Monday, January 18, 2027 | 6 |
| Divisional round | Weekend of January 23, 2027 | 4 |
| Conference Championships | Sunday, January 31, 2027 | 2 |
| Super Bowl LXI | Sunday, February 14, 2027, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Calif. | 1 |
Matchups, kickoff times and TV channels fill in on our 2027 NFL playoffs page as soon as the NFL sets them. You can also fill out the bracket yourself with the NFL playoff bracket.
How the NFL Playoff Format Has Changed
| Seasons | Playoff teams | Byes |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 to 2019 | 12 | Top two seeds in each conference |
| 2020 to today | 14 | No. 1 seed in each conference only |
Owners added a seventh team in each conference for the 2020 season. The change gave more teams a shot but took a bye away from the No. 2 seeds, which makes the race for the top seed matter much more late in the season. No changes to the format or the seeding were adopted for 2026.
Why the No. 1 Seed Matters So Much
- A week off: the top seed rests through Wild Card weekend while the other six teams in its conference play.
- Home field: it hosts every playoff game it plays before the Super Bowl.
- One fewer game: it needs three wins to win the Super Bowl instead of four.
That covers how many teams make the NFL playoffs: 14 teams, seven per conference, with four division winners, three wild cards and one bye for each No. 1 seed. Keep this page handy as the 2026 regular season heads into its final weeks.
How Many Teams Make the NFL Playoffs FAQ
How many teams make the NFL playoffs?
14 teams: seven from the AFC and seven from the NFC.
How many teams make the playoffs from each conference?
Seven: the four division winners and three wild card teams.
How many wild card teams are there in the NFL?
Six in total, three in each conference.
Which teams get a bye in the NFL playoffs?
Only the No. 1 seed in each conference. Every other playoff team plays on Wild Card weekend.
Can a team with a losing record make the NFL playoffs?
Yes. Every division winner qualifies and hosts a playoff game, whatever its record. The 2022 Buccaneers won their division at 8-9 and hosted a Wild Card game.
How many games are in the NFL playoffs?
13 games: six on Wild Card weekend, four in the Divisional round, two Conference Championships and the Super Bowl.
When do the 2027 NFL playoffs start?
Wild Card weekend starts on Saturday, January 16, 2027. Super Bowl LXI is on Sunday, February 14, 2027.
