You can watch NFL playoff action on most of the same channels that aired this season’s biggest gridiron matchups—including CBS, ESPN, FOX, and NBC. If you’ve watched the playoffs before, you’ll recognize that these are the usual suspects. But with streaming becoming more popular, there are more ways to tune in than ever before.
The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks have punched their tickets to the Big Game. Keep reading as I break down the various options available for watching the NFL postseason. And don’t miss our How To Watch the Super Bowl guide, where I outline the specifics surrounding Super Bowl LX.
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What channels have the NFL Playoffs?
You can watch NFL playoff games across CBS Sports, ESPN, FOX Sports, NBC Sports, and Prime Video Sports platforms. The following six channels will carry every playoff game this season.
I list ESPN and ABC together because ESPN’s two playoff games will simulcast on ABC. Sometimes, ESPN2 gets in on the ESPN/ABC fun with an alternate telecast. But my favorite alt coverage comes via Nickelodeon, which typically hosts an NFL on Nickelodeon simulcast for one of CBS’s playoff games. Who knew football and slime went together so well?
Spanish-language channels also offer live NFL playoff coverage. If you prefer American football en Español, you can switch to ESPN Deportes, Fox Deportes, and UNIVERSO/Telemundo instead of ESPN/ABC, FOX, and NBC. CBS usually provides Spanish-language audio through the secondary audio programming (SAP) feature.
Pro tip: All NFL playoff games that air on NBC also stream on Peacock Premium, while all CBS games stream on Paramount+.
NFL Playoffs TV schedule
The 2026 postseason has been a wild ride of upsets and high-scoring thrillers. Below is the complete postseason TV schedule, culminating with the championship clash at Levi’s Stadium.
| Game | Date | Time (ET) | Channels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Card Round | |||
| Los Angeles Rams at Carolina Panthers | Saturday, Jan. 10 | 4:30 p.m. | FOX, Fox Deportes |
| Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears | Saturday, Jan. 10 | 8:00 p.m. | Amazon Prime Video |
| Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars | Sunday, Jan. 11 | 1:00 p.m. | CBS, Paramount+ |
| San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles | Sunday, Jan. 11 | 4:30 p.m. | FOX, Fox Deportes |
| Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots | Sunday, Jan. 11 | 8:00 p.m. | NBC, UNIVERSO, Peacock |
| Houston Texans at Pittsburgh Steelers | Monday, Jan. 12 | 8:15 p.m. | ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes |
| Divisional Round | |||
| Buffalo Bills at Denver Broncos | Saturday, Jan. 17 | 4:30 p.m. | CBS, Paramount+ |
| San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks | Saturday, Jan. 17 | 8:00 p.m. | FOX, Fox Deportes |
| Houston Texans at New England Patriots | Sunday, Jan. 18 | 3:00 p.m. | ESPN, ABC, ESPN Deportes |
| Los Angeles Rams at Chicago Bears | Sunday, Jan. 18 | 6:30 p.m. | NBC, Peacock |
| Conference Championships | |||
|
AFC Championship: New England Patriots at Denver Broncos |
Sunday, Jan. 25 | 3:00 p.m. | CBS, Paramount+ |
|
NFC Championship: Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks |
Sunday, Jan. 25 | 6:30 p.m. | FOX, Fox Deportes |
| Super Bowl LX | |||
| New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks | Sunday, Feb. 8 | 6:30 p.m. | NBC, Peacock, Telemundo |
Data effective as of post date.
Best TV plans for watching the NFL Playoffs
You don’t need to shop for a super expansive (not to mention expensive) TV plan to watch the NFL Playoffs. Apart from the wild card game on Amazon Prime Video, you can catch the playoffs on ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC. All four channels are accessible over the air with the proper digital antenna setup, which I explain more in the section below on watching the NFL Playoffs for free.
If playoff channels are unavailable to you via antenna, signing up for a streaming service is the next most convenient option. YouTube TV is my favorite live TV streaming service for watching the NFL Playoffs. It has 100+ channels, including every playoff channel (except Prime Video) and NFL Network for extra football coverage. But you’ll first need to make sure your internet is fast and reliable enough to stream NFL games.
Pro tip: Our Internet Services and Equipment guide is an excellent resource for browsing internet providers and money-saving deals. You can also visit HighSpeedInternet.com’s Internet Speed Test to verify your current internet speeds.
NFL+ offers a cheap alternative for watching every NFL playoff game. For as low as $6.99 a month, an NFL+ subscription gives you live access to the entire postseason—even that Prime Video game—and NFL Network through the NFL mobile app. That means you can watch live games only on your phone or tablet. But hey, it beats constantly refreshing social media for score updates.
Which TV providers offer NFL playoff channels?
Most TV providers offer NFL playoff channels. To prove that, I compiled 12 popular providers in the table below and highlighted whether they carry CBS, ESPN, FOX, and NBC.
| Provider | Price | CBS | ESPN | FOX | NBC | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cox | $71.00–$162.00/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View Plans for Cox Read Cox review |
| DIRECTV | $89.99–$169.99/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View Plans for DIRECTV Read DIRECTV review |
| DISH | $89.99–$119.99/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View Plans for DISH Read DISH review |
| Fubo | $14.99–$94.99/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | — |
View Plans for FuboTV Read Fubo review |
| Hulu + Live TV | $88.99–$99.99/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View Plans for Hulu Read Hulu + Live TV review |
| Optimum | $15.00–$140.00/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View Plans for Optimum Read Optimum review |
| Philo | $33.00/mo. | — | — | — | — |
View Plans for Philo Read Philo review |
| Sling TV | $19.99–$60.99/mo. | — | ✔ | ✔* | ✔* |
View Plans for Sling TV Read Sling TV review |
| Spectrum | $40.00–$110.00/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Check Availability Read Spectrum review |
| Verizon Fios | $105.00–$149.00/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View Plans for Verizon Read Verizon Fios review |
| Xfinity | $55.00–$125.00/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View Plans for Xfinity Read Xfinity review |
| YouTube TV | $82.99/mo. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
View Plans for YouTube TV Read YouTube TV review |
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*Available only in select markets.
How to watch the NFL Playoffs for free
The great thing about the NFL Playoffs is that almost every game airs nationally on the four most popular broadcast networks. I say “almost” because of the one game that streams on Prime Video. Regardless, ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC are free to watch if you have an OTA antenna and a compatible TV within range of each channel’s nearest affiliate station.
If you don’t have an antenna, check out our Best OTA Antennas page to browse some of our top picks. But before you settle on the one-time purchase, you’ll want to enter your zip code on Antennas Direct’s TV Transmitter Locator to see what type of antenna range you’ll need.
The Mohu Leaf 50 is a fantastic option for those who live in the suburbs. Its 60-mile range and included amplifier provide solid channel reception. But you may need something with a greater range if you live in a rural area.
Pro tip: Antenna TV is an excellent way to catch every Sunday Night Football and some Monday Night Football games during the regular season. Unfortunately, Thursday Night Football is exclusive to Amazon Prime Video.
How to watch the NFL Playoffs FAQ
Can I watch the NFL Playoffs without cable?
Yes, you can watch the NFL Playoffs on any live TV streaming service that offers CBS, ESPN/ABC, FOX, and NBC. NFL+ also provides live access to every NFL postseason game for phone and tablet users.
Which streaming service has the NFL Playoffs?
Any live TV streaming service that carries CBS, ESPN, FOX, and NBC will have almost every NFL playoff game. But you'll also need Amazon Prime Video to watch its exclusive Packers–Bears wild card matchup. Other platforms like ESPN Unlimited, FOX One, and Paramount+ carry select playoff games, while mobile device users can catch the entire NFL Playoffs on NFL+.
Will the NFL Playoffs be on Amazon Prime?
Yes, Amazon Prime Video will have one NFL playoff game during the 2025–2026 season. That game between the Packers and Bears will also air on WGBA-TV (NBC 26) in Green Bay, WITI (FOX 6) in Milwaukee, and WFLD (FOX 32) in Chicago.
Will the NFL Playoffs be on Peacock?
Yes, three NFL playoff games will be on Peacock this season, including one wild card game, one Divisional Round matchup, and the Super Bowl. Check out our NFL on Peacock guide to learn more about the service's gridiron content this season.
Does NFL RedZone include the playoffs?
No, NFL RedZone isn't on the air during the postseason. Like NFL Sunday Ticket, the channel provides coverage only on Sundays during the regular season.
Why you should trust us
Our CableTV.com Sports Editor, Taylor Kujawa, spent over eight hours examining the best ways to watch the NFL Playoffs. He compared the prices and channel offerings of the most popular TV services. Then Taylor selected his viewing recommendations based on convenience, focusing on channel availability, pricing, and ease of sign-up.
Check out our How We Rank page to learn more about our methods.
