How to watch NFL football: 2026 AFC and NFC Championship games

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FILE-Seattle Seahawks Sam Darnold (14) throws a pass during the first quarter of the NFC Divisional Round playoff game between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks in Seattle, Wash. on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (Photo by Scott Strazzante/San F

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It all comes down to Sunday as the NFL’s final four is set for a trip to play in Super Bowl LX on the line. 

Two teams will punch their ticket to the league’s February showcase to fight for a Lombardi trophy, while the runners-up head home disappointed wondering what could have been, knowing they must restart the clock in their quest for a championship next season.

For the first time since 2011 and 11th time since 1970, four new teams are in the Conference Championship games. In the NFC, the Los Angeles Rams hit the road for a third consecutive week to take on the Seattle Seahawks. 

And a postseason rivalry is renewed in the AFC Championship game as the New England Patriots take on the Denver Broncos, who are 4-1 against the Patriots, which include two home Conference Championship victories in 2013 and 2015.

Adding to the intrigue of Sunday’s contests are a couple of first-time quarterbacks making their debut: Seattle’s Sam Darnold, New England’s Drake Maye, and Denver’s Jarrett Stidham, who hasn’t played in a game since 2023, while Super Bowl winning quarterback Matthew Stafford returns to the conference title game, as he’s eager to get back to the Super Bowl to capture a second ring, while cementing his place in NFL history as one of the best players in the game.

NFC Championship: Los Angeles Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks 

After splitting their head-to-head NFC West divisional matchups in the regular season, the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams square off for a third time with a Super Bowl berth on the line. When the Rams and Seahawks meet Sunday, it will mark the sixth Conference Championship game between divisional opponents since 2002. 

The Seahawks are favored at home, but quarterback Sam Darnold is facing tremendous pressure to play well to get his team to the Super Bowl, but knows he has to avoid the critical mistakes that plagued him last postseason when he was with the Minnesota Vikings and lost to the Rams in the wildcard round. 

Meanwhile, Rams QB Matthew Stafford, who is in contention to win this year’s league MVP, is no stranger to playing on the big stage, appearing in his second NFC Conference title game with a Super Bowl championship on his resume. 

With a victory, Darnold can become the eighth quarterback ever to lead his team to a Super Bowl appearance in his first season with a team and Stafford accomplished the feat in 2021 with the Rams.

This conference championship tilt is also highlighted by two of the league’s top young coaches in Seattle’s Mike McDonald, 38, and Los Angeles’ Sean McVay, who turns 40 years old on Jan. 24. It will be the second NFC Championship game ever featuring two head coaches 40 years old or younger since San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur (both age 40) and their teams faced off in the 2019 NFC Championship game. 

Seattle is also looking to end a playoff losing streak against Los Angeles this weekend. In head-to-head playoff games, the Rams are 2-0 against the Seahawks in the playoffs, with both wins coming in the NFC Wild Card round on the road in 2004 and 2020.

Overall, Los Angeles is 7-9 all-time in NFC Conference Championship games but has won four consecutive championship appearances since 1999. Seattle is 3-1 in conference title game appearances, according to NFL.com. 

AFC Championship: New England Patriots vs. Denver Broncos

New England, led by second-year star and MVP candidate QB Drake Maye, is the road team, but they’re favored over Denver, who will be led by quarterback Jarrett Stidham, filling in for starter Bo Nix after he suffered a season-ending injury in the Broncos' victory over the Buffalo Bills. Stidham hasn’t competed in a regular season game since 2023. 

There’s also history that will be made by the winner of Sunday’s contest. With a victory, the Patriots would become the fifth team since 2003 to go from last place to first and clinch a Super Bowl berth in the same year, joining the 2021 Cincinnati Bengals, 2017 Philadelphia Eagles, 2009 New Orleans Saints and the 2003 Carolina Panthers. 

But if the Broncos win, head coach Sean Payton, who led the Saints to a Super Bowl XLIV championship in 2009, can become the eighth coach ever to lead multiple franchises to a Super Bowl appearance.

New England is 11-5 in AFC Conference Championship games while Denver has a stellar 8-2 record in their last 10 appearances, the highest winning percentage in Championship games all-time, per NFL.com. 

Here’s a look at the NFL Divisional playoff schedule and how to stream NFL games on FOX.

NFL AFC and NFC Championship Game schedule & networks

Sunday, Jan. 25

• New England Patriots at Denver Broncos: 3 p.m. ET (CBS)
• Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks: 6:30 p.m. ET (FOX)

How to watch the NFL on FOX

NFL games on FOX can be streamed on FOXSports.com, the FOX Sports App or FOX One.

You can use an over-the-air antenna to pick up your local station’s broadcast for free, or watch NFL games through any number of partner providers, such as cable companies, satellite TV packages, or subscription streaming platforms like NFL+, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV or fuboTV.

Before all the games kick off, you can catch FOX NFL Sunday starting at 12 p.m. ET on FOX stations. Curt Menefee, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Michael Strahan, Rob Gronkowski and Jay Glazer will break down each week’s matchups and talk to key players and coaches.