NFL fans will have to tune into the College Football Playoff to see games on New Year’s Day. Despite today being Thursday, there are no NFL games on New Year’s Day.
The NFL’s Thursday Night Football schedule has ended as the attention turns to the playoffs. There are two Saturday NFL games on January 3, 2026, as a double-header takes place with massive postseason implications. Click here to see the upcoming college football schedule or scroll down for today’s games on TV.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the Carolina Panthers at 4:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, January 3, on both ESPN and ABC to kickoff the Week 18 schedule. There will be a significant impact on the NFC South race with one more remaining NFC playoff spot up for grabs for the division winner.
Finally, the Seattle Seahawks take on the San Francisco 49ers at 8 p.m. on January 3, on both ESPN and ABC. The winner will secure the NFC West title and the No. 1 seed.
Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming NFL schedule.
NFL Week 18 Schedule for Saturday, January 3
There are no NFL games on New Year’s Day. The Week 18 schedule begins on Saturday, January 3, with an NFC double-header.
| DATE | GAME | TIME (ET) | TV CHANNEL |
| January 3 | Panthers vs. Buccaneers | 4:30 p.m. | ABC/ESPN |
| January 3 | Seahawks vs. 49ers | 8 p.m. | ABC/ESPN |
There Is Not an NFL Thursday Night Football Game on New Year’s Day But There Are 3 CFP Bowls
There are no NFL games on New Year’s Day, but there are three college football bowl games to watch on TV. Here’s a look at the college football schedule for New Year’s Day. All times listed are in Eastern.
| DATE | GAME | TIME (ET) | CHANNEL |
| January 1 | No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 4 Texas Tech | 12 p.m. | ESPN |
| January 1 | No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 1 Indiana | 4 p.m. | ESPN |
| January 1 | No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 3 Georgia | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
NFL Playoff Schedule Begins on January 10, 2026
The NFL typically does not have a Thursday Night Football game in Week 18. Instead, the league prefers to play all the games closer together in preparation for the NFL playoffs.
Week 18 represents the final games of the regular season. Here’s a look at the projected NFL playoff schedule which begins on January 10, per FBSchedules.com. All times listed are in Eastern.
| DATE | GAME | TIME (ET) | TV CHANNEL |
| January 10 | Wild Card Round | 4:30 p.m. | Prime, CBS or FOX |
| January 10 | Wild Card Round | 8 p.m. | Prime, CBS or FOX |
| January 11 | Wild Card Round | 1 p.m. | Prime, CBS or FOX |
| January 11 | Wild Card Round | 4:30 p.m. | Prime, CBS or FOX |
| January 11 | Wild Card Round | 8:15 p.m. | NBC |
| January 12 | Wild Card Round | 8:15 p.m. | ESPN/ABC |
| January 17 | Divisional Round | 4:30 p.m. | TBD |
| January 17 | Divisional Round | 8:15 p.m. | TBD |
| January 18 | Divisional Round | 3 p.m. | TBD |
| January 18 | Divisional Round | 6:30 p.m. | TBD |
| January 25 | AFC Championship | 3 p.m. | CBS |
| January 25 | NFC Championship | 6:30 p.m. | FOX |
| February 8 | Super Bowl 2026 | 6:30 p.m. | NBC |
Heading Into Week 18, 12 Teams Have Clinched an NFL Playoff Spot
Ahead of the final Week 18 matchups, there are 12 teams who have already clinched a playoff berth. This leaves two playoff spots up for grabs heading into this weekend. The winners of the NFC South and AFC North will be the final two teams to make the NFL playoffs.
Here’s a look at the teams who have already punched their ticket to the NFL playoffs: Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills and Green Bay Packers.
NFL Football Games Today on New Year’s Day: Is There Thursday Night Football on TV?