NFL conference championships headline Sunday sports slate

Sunday, January 25, 2026 brings one of the busiest U.S. sports days of the winter, highlighted by the NFL’s conference championship games. The AFC Championship—New England at Denver—anchors the afternoon window, while the NFC Championship—L.A. Rams at Seattle—follows later in prime time, creating a full-day national stage for two matchups that determine who advances to the Super Bowl.

A nationwide TV schedule published ahead of Sunday listed the AFC Championship airing on CBS at 3 p.m. Eastern, with the NFC Championship on Fox at 6:30 p.m. Eastern. For fans, the split network coverage means different production teams and broadcast styles, but the same stakes: one game short of the Super Bowl.

Beyond football, the day’s TV lineup spans multiple sports and time zones. Golf coverage included the final round of The American Express from La Quinta, California. Hockey fans also had options, with NHL Network broadcasts scheduled for Colorado at Toronto earlier in the day and Florida at Chicago later.

The slate extended into soccer, with multiple men’s matches across leagues and broadcasters, including a Premier League window and other international fixtures. Winter sports programming also appeared, with skiing and snowboarding events scheduled amid a January season that typically blends indoor arenas with alpine venues.

The conference championships carry an added storyline for casual viewers: they sit at the intersection of sport and civic life. On many Sundays like this, family plans, travel schedules, and even business hours shift around kickoff times. That gravitational pull grows when both conferences play on the same day.

As the games unfold on January 25, the focus will narrow from a broad sports calendar to a single question: which two teams earn the right to play for the title. By night’s end, the Super Bowl matchup is set—turning the week ahead into a full-scale build-up across media, betting markets, and fanbases.