The NFL typically announces the Divisional Round schedule on the Sunday night of Wild Card weekend, after most or all Wild Card games are finished.

When the NFL Announces It

  • In recent seasons, the league has released the Divisional Round lineup shortly after the final (or next‑to‑last) Wild Card game on Sunday night.
  • Matchups and dates come first; exact kickoff times and TV networks sometimes follow later once TV partners finalize selections.

What To Expect This Year

  • For the 2025–26 playoffs, Divisional Round games are set for the weekend of January 17–18, with the schedule being locked in around the end of Wild Card weekend.
  • If a Monday night Wild Card game is still pending, the NFL may announce most of the schedule first and leave the last matchup’s details (like exact time) until that result is known.

Practical Rule of Thumb

  • If you are waiting on “when will NFL announce divisional schedule,” the best expectation is:
    • Look for the announcement late Sunday evening of Wild Card weekend, with any remaining details finalized after the last Wild Card game (sometimes Monday night).

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.