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It's time to get ready for the thrilling culmination of the NFL season. In just one week, the playoffs will begin, showcasing the best teams from both conferences as they strive for this year’s Super Bowl glory.
Since the 2020-21 season, the NFL has enhanced the postseason by expanding the field from 12 to 14 teams. The journey begins during wild card weekend, when 14 contenders take the field.
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Here’s everything you need to know about the NFL playoff format for this season:
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Can't-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 6: Washington Commanders wide receiver Chris Moore (19) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the "Monday Night Football" game against the Chicago Bears at Northwest Stadium. The Commanders wore their all-black alternate uniforms for the game.
NFL playoff format
The NFL playoff format is a single-elimination tournament of seven teams in the AFC and NFC, including:
Four division winners (South, North, East, and West)
Three wild card teams (best remaining teams by record)
The division winner with the best record receives the No. 1 seed in their conference, plays their playoff games at home, and gets a bye in the first round (wild card) of the playoffs.
The playoffs have four rounds: the wild card round, the divisional round, the conference championship games and the Super Bowl. There is an extra week between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl.
Wild card round
No. 1 seed has a bye
No. 2 seed hosts No. 7 seed
No. 3 seed hosts No. 6 seed
No. 4 seed hosts No. 5 seed
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Divisional round
The No. 1 seed hosts the lowest remaining seed.
The second-highest remaining seed hosts the second-lowest remaining seed.
Conference championship game
Divisional round winners (higher seed hosts)
Super Bowl
Conference championship winners play at a neutral site.
This year's Super Bowl will be played at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA.
When do the NFL playoffs start?
The NFL playoffs kick off on Saturday, Jan. 10, at 4:30 p.m. ET for the first game of the wild-card round.
Here's how the full schedule breaks down for the 2025-26 NFL playoffs.
Wild card round: Jan. 10-12, 2026
Divisional round: Jan. 17-18, 2026
Conference championship: Jan. 25, 2026
Super Bowl: Feb. 8, 2026
NFL playoff picture
*=team has clinched a playoff berth.
AFC playoff picture
No. 2 seed: New England Patriots (13-3, AFC East winners)*
No. 4 seed: Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7, AFC North leaders)
No. 6 seed: Los Angeles Chargers (11-5, wild card No. 2)*
In the hunt: Baltimore Ravens (8-8)
NFC playoff picture
No. 1 seed: Seattle Seahawks (13-3, NFC West leaders)*
No. 4 seed: Carolina Panthers (8-8, NFC South leaders)
No. 5 seed: San Francisco 49ers (12-4, wild card No. 1)*
No. 6 seed: Los Angeles Rams (11-5, wild card No. 2)*
In the hunt: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-9)
NFL playoff bracket
These are the current wild-card matchups, given the state of the playoff picture. This is subject to multiple changes pending the results in Week 18:
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AFC wild card
No. 2 New England Patriots vs. No. 7-seed Buffalo Bills
No. 3 Jacksonville Jaguars vs. No. 6 Los Angeles Chargers
No. 4 Pittsburgh Steelers vs. No. 5 Houston Texans
NFC wild card
No. 2 Chicago Bears vs. No. 7 Green Bay Packers
No. 3 Philadelphia Eagles vs. No. 6 Los Angeles Rams
No. 4 Carolina Panthers vs. No. 5 San Francisco 49ers
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL playoff format, explained: Schedule, bracket for NFL playoffs
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