The quest to make the 2025 Super Bowl reaches a crescendo on Jan. 26 when the AFC and NFC championship games take place. At stake: a spot in the Super Bowl.
This year’s conference championship games are something of a contrast. One game pits two teams that are well versed in postseason football, while the other features a popular pick to make the Super Bowl against a squad few anticipated reaching this stage. The winners of the two games will meet in Super Bowl 59, set to be played Feb. 9 in New Orleans.
Which teams are playing in the AFC and NFC championship games?
The sixth-seeded Washington Commanders will visit the second-seeded Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC championship. In the AFC championship, the top-seeded Kansas City Chiefs will host the second-seeded Buffalo Bills.
When are the AFC and NFC championship games?
Both games are Sunday, Jan. 26. The NFC championship will be played at 3 p.m. ET, while the AFC championship will take place at 6:30 p.m. ET.
How can I watch the AFC and NFC championship games?
The NFC championship will air on Fox and Fox Deportes. The AFC championship will be on CBS and Paramount+.
What can fans expect from each game?
NFC championship game: Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles will go as far as star running back Saquon Barkley takes them. He has been a beast in his first season with the team and led the way with 205 rushing yards when the Eagles outlasted the Los Angeles Rams in a close divisional round playoff game. Barkley’s penchant for big runs helps offset a passing game that has been sluggish of late for the Eagles.
The Commanders continue to improve each week, with their fairy-tale season reaching new heights when they upset the NFC’s top-seeded Detroit Lions in the divisional round. Led by star rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, the Commanders, who haven’t made it this far in the postseason since 1992, possess a high-octane offense, which may be critical since their defense isn’t great against the run.
As NFC East rivals, both teams are also familiar with each other, having split their two regular-season games. This matchup also marks the first time two NFC East teams have met in the NFC championship since Washington fell to the New York Giants in 1987.
AFC championship game: Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs
The AFC side features a pair of teams that have plenty of recent postseason history and that many expected to make it to this point. The Chiefs, the winner of two straight Super Bowls, held off the Houston Texans in the divisional round. They don’t do any one thing to overwhelm opponents, but one thing they do very well? Win. The Chiefs will be making their seventh consecutive appearance in the AFC title game.
The Bills beat the Baltimore Ravens in a tight game in the divisional round. A perpetually snakebitten franchise (remember, they lost four straight Super Bowls in the 1990s), the Bills and superstar Josh Allen — who has the most playoff wins by any quarterback without a Super Bowl start, per CBS Sports — don’t lack talent or confidence and have been on the cusp of making the Super Bowl the last few seasons. Allen’s ability to make plays could be the difference as the Bills have a golden opportunity to knock off the defending champions and finally return to the Super Bowl.
