NFL Week 18 Schedule 2026: Dates, Times, TV Channels
The NFL Week 18 schedule 2026 closes the regular season on Saturday, January 9 and Sunday, January 10, 2027. All 16 games are division matchups. The league holds back kickoff times and TV channels until Week 17 ends on January 3, so the final weekend can be built around teams still alive for the playoffs.
One change stands out this season. Week 18 now has a Saturday tripleheader, and Netflix takes the 1:00 PM ET window for the first time. ESPN and ABC keep the 4:30 PM and 8:00 PM ET Saturday slots.
NFL Week 18 Schedule 2026: All 16 Division Games
Every club plays a division rival in Week 18. The matchups below are locked. Only the day, kickoff time and network are still open.
AFC Week 18 Matchups
| MATCHUP | DIVISION | STADIUM |
|---|---|---|
| Jets at Bills | AFC East | Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, NY |
| Dolphins at Patriots | AFC East | Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA |
| Steelers at Ravens | AFC North | M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD |
| Browns at Bengals | AFC North | Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, OH |
| Titans at Texans | AFC South | NRG Stadium, Houston, TX |
| Jaguars at Colts | AFC South | Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN |
| Chargers at Broncos | AFC West | Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, CO |
| Raiders at Chiefs | AFC West | GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO |
NFC Week 18 Matchups
| MATCHUP | DIVISION | STADIUM |
|---|---|---|
| Eagles at Giants | NFC East | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ |
| Cowboys at Commanders | NFC East | Northwest Stadium, Landover, MD |
| Lions at Packers | NFC North | Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI |
| Bears at Vikings | NFC North | U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN |
| Falcons at Panthers | NFC South | Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC |
| Buccaneers at Saints | NFC South | Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA |
| Seahawks at Rams | NFC West | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA |
| 49ers at Cardinals | NFC West | State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ |
Want the full season on one page? Use our free printable NFL schedule grid to track every week.
Week 18 Kickoff Windows and TV Channels
The NFL has already fixed the six kickoff windows for the final weekend. Only the matchups inside them are open.
Saturday, January 9, 2027
| TIME (ET) | GAME | TV |
|---|---|---|
| 1:00 PM | Division matchup to be named | Netflix |
| 4:30 PM | Division matchup to be named | ESPN and ABC |
| 8:00 PM | Division matchup to be named | ESPN and ABC |
Sunday, January 10, 2027
| TIME (ET) | GAMES | TV |
|---|---|---|
| 1:00 PM | Bulk of the slate | CBS and FOX |
| 4:25 PM | Bulk of the slate | CBS and FOX |
| 8:20 PM | Sunday Night Football, one game | NBC and Peacock |
Thirteen games fill Sunday across those three windows. There is no Thursday or Monday game in Week 18, because every club has to finish the season at the same time for playoff seeding to be fair.
When Times and Networks Are Announced
The NFL confirms Week 18 dates, start times and networks right after the last Week 17 game on Sunday, January 3, 2027. Expect the release that Sunday night or early Monday, January 4.
- Why the wait: the league wants games with live playoff stakes in the Saturday and Sunday night windows.
- What can move: any of the 16 games can be pushed to Saturday or to Sunday night.
- What cannot move: the matchups themselves and the six kickoff windows.
- Where it posts first: NFL.com and the league broadcast partners, usually within minutes of each other.
This is the same flexible scheduling power the NFL uses from Week 5 onward, applied to a single weekend.
How to Watch the NFL Week 18 Schedule 2026
Five broadcasters share the weekend. Here is the cheapest route to each one.
- Netflix: the Saturday 1:00 PM ET game streams on any Netflix plan. No cable needed.
- ESPN and ABC: both Saturday night games. Stream through the ESPN app, Fubo, YouTube TV or Hulu with Live TV.
- CBS: Sunday afternoon games. Stream with Paramount Plus on the Premium plan, which carries your local CBS feed.
- FOX: Sunday afternoon games. Stream through FOX One, Fubo or YouTube TV.
- NBC: Sunday Night Football. Stream on Peacock at no extra cost over the base plan.
- NFL Plus: local and prime time games on a phone or tablet, useful if you are travelling.
Out of market fans still need NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube for games outside their local CBS and FOX feeds.
What Is at Stake in Week 18
Week 18 settles the last open playoff questions. Four things get decided:
- Division titles that are still tied going into the weekend.
- The No. 1 seed in each conference, which carries the only first round bye and home field throughout.
- The three wild card spots per conference, often on head to head or common games tiebreakers.
- Draft order for teams already eliminated, which matters more than most fans expect.
Because all 16 games are division games, a team can win its own division outright or knock a rival out on the same afternoon. Check the NFL playoff picture before kickoff, since one early result can flip the stakes of a later game.
Are There Bye Teams in Week 18?
No. All 32 teams play. The last NFL bye weeks fall in Week 14, and every club is on the field for the final weekend.
What Happens After Week 18
The playoff field is set the moment the Sunday night game ends. Fourteen teams advance.
| ROUND | DATES |
|---|---|
| Wild Card Weekend | January 16 to 18, 2027 |
| Divisional Round | January 23 and 24, 2027 |
| Conference Championships | January 31, 2027 |
| Super Bowl LXI | February 14, 2027 |
Super Bowl LXI is at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
NFL Week 18 Schedule 2026 FAQs
When is NFL Week 18 in the 2026 season?
Week 18 runs Saturday, January 9 and Sunday, January 10, 2027. It is the final week of the regular season.
How many games are in NFL Week 18?
There are 16 games. Three are on Saturday and 13 are on Sunday. Every game is a division matchup and no team has a bye.
When are Week 18 kickoff times and TV channels announced?
The NFL confirms them right after the last Week 17 game on Sunday, January 3, 2027, usually that same night or early the next morning.
Which games are on Saturday of Week 18?
Three games. One at 1:00 PM ET on Netflix, then two on ESPN and ABC at 4:30 PM and 8:00 PM ET. The matchups are picked once Week 17 is over.
Why are all Week 18 games division matchups?
This is the 17th straight season the NFL has done it. Division games keep late season stakes high and stop teams from facing opponents with nothing to play for.
Can I watch NFL Week 18 without cable?
Yes. Netflix carries the Saturday afternoon game, Peacock carries Sunday Night Football, Paramount Plus Premium carries CBS games and the ESPN app carries the Saturday night doubleheader. Fubo and YouTube TV bundle most networks together.
What comes after Week 18?
Wild Card Weekend runs January 16 to 18, 2027, the Divisional Round is January 23 and 24, the Conference Championships are January 31, and Super Bowl LXI is February 14 at SoFi Stadium.
Final Thoughts
The NFL Week 18 schedule 2026 gives you 16 division games across two days, January 9 and 10, 2027, with a Saturday tripleheader that now includes Netflix. Save this page and check back on Monday, January 4, when the league locks in every kickoff time and network.
