The San Francisco 49ers are headed to the Divisional Round, and their next opponent is set: San Francisco (No. 6) will travel to Seattle to face the No. 1-seed Seahawks at Lumen Field.
San Francisco advanced with a 23-19 Wild Card win over the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in Philly.
Key details (quick answers)
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49ers’ next game: at Seattle Seahawks (NFC Divisional Round)
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Date: Saturday, January 17, 2026
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Kickoff time / TV: TBD (Seattle’s site noted it will be either 4:30 p.m. ET or 8:00 p.m. ET, finalized after Monday night’s Texans-Steelers game)
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49ers seed: No. 6
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How they got here: 49ers beat Eagles 23-19 in the Wild Card Round
49ers’ Next Opponent: Who Will San Francisco Play in the NFL Playoffs?
The 49ers will take on the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle.
It’s also a quick-turn rematch. The teams split the regular-season series, with Seattle’s 13-3 win in Week 18 clinching the No. 1 seed and the NFC West.
From a “what matters most” standpoint, this game starts with whether San Francisco can keep Brock Purdy clean and avoid the kind of disrupted, low-scoring night the offense had in the regular-season finale. Seattle’s defense already showed it can turn this rivalry into a grind.
Seattle also gives this matchup an obvious stakes angle: it’s a division rival, in a tough road environment, with the NFC’s top seed waiting. The Seahawks earned that spot by winning the NFC West and putting together the conference’s best resume, which means the 49ers don’t get any “warm-up” portion of the bracket. San Francisco already proved it can win a tight postseason game in hostile territory by knocking off Philadelphia, but the margin is usually thinner on the road in January. Expect the week to revolve around practice participation and who’s available, because lineup answers often matter as much as scheme at this stage. Once kickoff time is officially announced, the Divisional Round slate will be fully locked.
NFL Playoff Schedule: Wild Card Weekend (Jan. 10-12) + What’s Next
The NFL’s Wild Card Weekend ran Jan. 10-12, with the Divisional Round set for Jan. 17-18 and conference championship games on Jan. 25.
Wild Card Weekend schedule (times ET):
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Sat., Jan. 10: 4:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m.
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Sun., Jan. 11: 1:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m.
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Mon., Jan. 12: 8:15 p.m.
NFC Divisional Round matchups (known):
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No. 6 49ers at No. 1 Seahawks — Saturday, Jan. 17
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No. 5 Rams at No. 2 Bears — Sunday, Jan. 18
If San Francisco beats Seattle, the 49ers would play in the NFC Championship Game on Jan. 25, against the Bears-Rams winner (location depends on which seeds advance).
What Changed for the 49ers After the Seahawks Game
Seattle’s Week 18 win didn’t just take the top seed — it pushed the 49ers onto the road path and set up this Divisional Round trip back to the Pacific Northwest.
The big health storyline has also shifted since then:
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George Kittle tore his Achilles against the Eagles and is expected to miss the Seahawks game.
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Trent Williams played through a hamstring issue in the Wild Card win — and his week-to-week recovery is a huge swing factor for Purdy and the run game.
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Ricky Pearsall was inactive vs. Philadelphia.
And for context: Purdy’s left-shoulder “stinger” came at the end of the Week 18 loss to Seattle — but he did play and advance in Philly, so the bigger immediate concern heading into the Divisional Round is the injury list around him (especially at tight end and along the line).
49ers Playoff Schedule: Next Opponent, Date & Game