How do teams get to the Super Bowl? NFL playoff picture and road to New Orleans as sides aim to reach iconic event
The Super Bowl is one of the most famous events in sport with the NFL’s best teams competing for the Vince Lombardi Trophy. This year will see Super Bowl LIX take centre stage, and it will be as highly anticipated as ever when the players step out onto the field at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. The Chiefs became back-to-back champions in 2024Getty The Kansas City Chiefs won their second consecutive world title in the 58th edition of the game, and now they’re eyeing a third straight. But the Chiefs and their NFL rivals still have a long journey to reach the iconic match. So talkSPORT.com has taken a look at how each side makes their way to the big one… How do teams get to the Super Bowl? In the NFL, 32 teams are separated into two conferences. And within those conferences, they are split into four divisions consisting of four teams. They are the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC), with each conference split into North, South, East and West divisions. After 17 games, the regular season comes to an end. The teams with the best record in each division will qualify for the playoffs as well as three wildcard teams from each conference. This means that a total of 14 teams progress from the regular season onto the road to the Super Bowl. Each side will be seeded based on their record from the campaign. Patrick Mahomes won his third Super Bowl in Las Vegas last seasonGetty Super Wildcard Weekend The playoffs then begin with the wild card round. 12 of the 14 teams that qualify for the Playoffs have to compete in all three rounds, but the top seeds from each conference receive a bye through this one. The seedings of the 12 teams taking part determine the matches and three teams from each conference will progress through. Divisional round The highest-seeded teams then enter the playoffs in the divisional round. So with those two teams joining the six that made it through the Wildcard Weekend, it makes up eight teams at this stage. The highest-ranked side will take on the lowest-ranked team left in their conference and so on. Conference championship round Once the divisional round is complete, there are four teams left – two from each conference. The teams from the same conference then face off in a huge championship clash where the highest-ranked team gets home advantage. This determines the AFC and NFC champions. Winning the Super Bowl is every NFL player’s dreamGetty Images - Getty Super Bowl The AFC and NFC champions then face each other in the Super Bowl. And they compete to decide who will lift the famous Vince Lombardi Trophy. This year, it will take place at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. talkSPORT will live coverage of the 59th Super Bowl. We will have commentary of all the action from New Orleans while talkSPORT.com will keep you up to date with all the latest. Playoff picture this year So, now that’s all explained, here’s how the playoff picture looks ahead of the 2025 Super Bowl. The Chiefs have clinched the AFC conference while Detroit Lions topped the NFC. The other division winners are the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Rams. And the wild card teams are Minnesota Vikings, Washington Commanders, Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Chargers, Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos. Wild Card Round January 11 Baltimore Ravens vs Pittsburgh Steelers Houston Texans vs LA Chargers January 12 Buffalo Bills vs Denver Broncos Washington Commanders vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Green Bay Packers vs Philadelphia Eagles January 13 Minnesota Vikings vs LA Rams Divisional Round January 18 Kansas City Chiefs vs TBC TBC vs TBC January 19 Detroit Lions v TBC TBC vs TBC Conference Championships January 26 AFC Championship game NFC Championship game Pro Bowl Games 2025 February 2 – Camping World Stadium, Orlando Super Bowl February 9 – AFC Champions v NFC Champions
The Super Bowl is one of the most famous events in sport with the NFL’s best teams competing for the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
This year will see Super Bowl LIX take centre stage, and it will be as highly anticipated as ever when the players step out onto the field at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
The Kansas City Chiefs won their second consecutive world title in the 58th edition of the game, and now they’re eyeing a third straight.
But the Chiefs and their NFL rivals still have a long journey to reach the iconic match.
So talkSPORT.com has taken a look at how each side makes their way to the big one…
How do teams get to the Super Bowl?
In the NFL, 32 teams are separated into two conferences.
And within those conferences, they are split into four divisions consisting of four teams.
They are the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC), with each conference split into North, South, East and West divisions.
After 17 games, the regular season comes to an end.
The teams with the best record in each division will qualify for the playoffs as well as three wildcard teams from each conference.
This means that a total of 14 teams progress from the regular season onto the road to the Super Bowl.
Each side will be seeded based on their record from the campaign.
Super Wildcard Weekend
The playoffs then begin with the wild card round.
12 of the 14 teams that qualify for the Playoffs have to compete in all three rounds, but the top seeds from each conference receive a bye through this one.
The seedings of the 12 teams taking part determine the matches and three teams from each conference will progress through.
Divisional round
The highest-seeded teams then enter the playoffs in the divisional round.
So with those two teams joining the six that made it through the Wildcard Weekend, it makes up eight teams at this stage.
The highest-ranked side will take on the lowest-ranked team left in their conference and so on.
Conference championship round
Once the divisional round is complete, there are four teams left – two from each conference.
The teams from the same conference then face off in a huge championship clash where the highest-ranked team gets home advantage.
This determines the AFC and NFC champions.
Super Bowl
The AFC and NFC champions then face each other in the Super Bowl.
And they compete to decide who will lift the famous Vince Lombardi Trophy.
This year, it will take place at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
talkSPORT will live coverage of the 59th Super Bowl.
We will have commentary of all the action from New Orleans while talkSPORT.com will keep you up to date with all the latest.
Playoff picture this year
So, now that’s all explained, here’s how the playoff picture looks ahead of the 2025 Super Bowl.
The Chiefs have clinched the AFC conference while Detroit Lions topped the NFC.
The other division winners are the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Rams.
And the wild card teams are Minnesota Vikings, Washington Commanders, Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Chargers, Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos.
Wild Card Round
January 11
- Baltimore Ravens vs Pittsburgh Steelers
- Houston Texans vs LA Chargers
January 12
- Buffalo Bills vs Denver Broncos
- Washington Commanders vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Green Bay Packers vs Philadelphia Eagles
January 13
- Minnesota Vikings vs LA Rams
Divisional Round
January 18
- Kansas City Chiefs vs TBC
- TBC vs TBC
January 19
- Detroit Lions v TBC
- TBC vs TBC
Conference Championships
January 26
- AFC Championship game
- NFC Championship game
Pro Bowl Games 2025
- February 2 – Camping World Stadium, Orlando
Super Bowl
- February 9 – AFC Champions v NFC Champions
