NFL Playoff Predictor 2026

Predict the 2026 NFL playoffs: pick the seven seeds in the AFC and NFC, then tap the winner of every game from Wild Card weekend to the Super Bowl. Save your bracket, download a share image, and see which teams the community has as Super Bowl champion across 2 saved predictions.

Build your 2026 playoff bracket

1. Seeds

Seeds 1 to 4 are the division winners. Seed 1 gets a bye.

AFC

1Div. winner, bye
2Div. winner
3Div. winner
4Div. winner
5Wild card
6Wild card
7Wild card

NFC

1Div. winner, bye
2Div. winner
3Div. winner
4Div. winner
5Wild card
6Wild card
7Wild card

2. Bracket

Tap the team you think wins. The higher seed hosts; the 1 seed skips the Wild Card round.

Save and share: enter your name and email, we send a link that saves your bracket and lets you update it any time.

Pick seven seeds per conference, then the winners.

How the NFL playoff bracket works

14 teams, 7 per conferenceFour division winners take seeds 1 to 4 by record, then the three best remaining records are the wild cards at 5, 6 and 7.
Wild Card round2 hosts 7, 3 hosts 6, 4 hosts 5. The 1 seed rests. Six games over a weekend, all single elimination.
Divisional roundThe 1 seed hosts the lowest remaining seed; the other two winners meet. Higher seed always hosts, so brackets re-seed rather than follow fixed lines.
Championship and Super BowlConference winners meet at a neutral site. Thirteen games from the first Saturday to the Super Bowl.

Community playoff predictions 2026

Super Bowl champion

  1. Jacksonville Jaguars50%
  2. Cincinnati Bengals50%

Reaching the Super Bowl

  1. Jacksonville Jaguars50%
  2. Minnesota Vikings50%
  3. Cincinnati Bengals50%
  4. San Francisco 49ers50%

Picked as a 1 seed

  1. Cincinnati Bengals100%
  2. San Francisco 49ers100%

Making the playoffs

  1. Cincinnati Bengals100%
  2. Buffalo Bills100%
  3. Kansas City Chiefs100%
  4. Jacksonville Jaguars100%
  5. Las Vegas Raiders100%
  6. Denver Broncos100%
  7. Cleveland Browns100%
  8. San Francisco 49ers100%

Playoff predictor questions

How does the NFL playoff format work?

Seven teams per conference: the four division winners seeded 1 to 4 by record, then three wild cards seeded 5 to 7. The 1 seed rests in the Wild Card round while 2 plays 7, 3 plays 6 and 4 plays 5. In the divisional round the 1 seed faces the lowest remaining seed. Winners meet in the conference championship, then the Super Bowl.

How are the default seeds chosen?

From the current standings on this site: the best record in each division takes seeds 1 to 4, the next three records take 5 to 7. Change any of them.

Can I change my prediction later?

Yes. Saving again replaces your earlier bracket. Most people update it as the season goes.

What does the community section show?

The share of all saved predictions that have each team winning the Super Bowl, reaching it, taking a 1 seed, or simply making the playoffs.

How do I share my bracket?

After saving, download the share image or copy the share link. The link opens a page with your bracket and your name.

Is there a playoff pick'em pool too?

Round-by-round playoff pools are coming for January. Until then, read the playoff pick'em guide for formats and scoring.