by With the 2026 NFL postseason field officially set, fans across the country are plotting their trips to witness January football in person. However, geographic loyalty is often a matter of proximity rather than just team colors. Mapping the closest NFL playoff team stadium to each county reveals fascinating insights into how the 14 participating teams “claim” territory across the continental United States. From the sprawling reach of the Denver Broncos in the West to the dense, overlapping zones of the Northeast, your local rooting interest might be determined by the shortest drive-time to a playoff venue.
The 2026 Playoff Map: Who Controls the Land?
This year’s playoff bracket features a diverse geographic spread, with the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks securing the top seeds and largest geographic footprints. When calculating the closest NFL playoff team stadium to each county, the Broncos effectively “own” the vast majority of the Mountain West, including large swaths of Montana, Wyoming, and Utah. Meanwhile, the Seahawks dominate the Pacific Northwest, claiming every county in Washington, Oregon, and much of Idaho. These teams benefit from being the only postseason representatives in their respective regions, creating massive “home territories” that dwarf those of teams in the crowded AFC North or NFC East.
2026 Playoff Teams and Their Stadium Locations
| Conference | Team | Stadium | Location |
| AFC | Denver Broncos | Empower Field at Mile High | Denver, CO |
| AFC | New England Patriots | Gillette Stadium | Foxborough, MA |
| AFC | Jacksonville Jaguars | EverBank Stadium | Jacksonville, FL |
| AFC | Pittsburgh Steelers | Acrisure Stadium | Pittsburgh, PA |
| AFC | Houston Texans | NRG Stadium | Houston, TX |
| AFC | Buffalo Bills | Highmark Stadium | Orchard Park, NY |
| AFC | L.A. Chargers | SoFi Stadium | Inglewood, CA |
| NFC | Seattle Seahawks | Lumen Field | Seattle, WA |
| NFC | Chicago Bears | Soldier Field | Chicago, IL |
| NFC | Philadelphia Eagles | Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia, PA |
| NFC | Carolina Panthers | Bank of America Stadium | Charlotte, NC |
| NFC | L.A. Rams | SoFi Stadium | Inglewood, CA |
| NFC | San Francisco 49ers | Levi’s Stadium | Santa Clara, CA |
| NFC | Green Bay Packers | Lambeau Field | Green Bay, WI |
The Battle for the Midwest: Bears vs. Packers
In the Midwest, the map of the closest NFL playoff team stadium to each county becomes a heated battleground between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers. While the Packers claim the northern half of Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the Bears’ reach extends deep into central Illinois and eastern Iowa. Interestingly, many counties in southern Indiana and Ohio find themselves closer to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Acrisure Stadium than to the Windy City, showcasing how the AFC North’s presence reshapes the map for fans in the heart of the country.
The Northeast Corridor: A Dense Playoff Hub
The Northeast features a high concentration of postseason contenders, making the closest NFL playoff team stadium to each county a game of inches for residents in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The New England Patriots command the six states of New England, while the Buffalo Bills claim the western half of New York and northern Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia Eagles occupy a dense cluster in the Mid-Atlantic, but they face constant pressure from the Steelers to the west, creating a state-wide split in Pennsylvania that mirrors the classic cross-state rivalry.
Texas and the South: Lone Stars and Coastal Cats
Down south, the closest NFL playoff team stadium to each county is dominated by the Houston Texans and the Carolina Panthers. With the Dallas Cowboys missing the 2026 postseason, the Texans have expanded their “closest stadium” territory to include nearly all of southern and central Texas, as well as parts of Louisiana. In the Southeast, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers split the coastal states; the Jaguars claim almost all of Florida and south Georgia, while the Panthers’ territory stretches from the Blue Ridge Mountains across the Carolinas and into southern Virginia.
The California Split: Rams, Chargers, and 49ers
California remains the most complex region when determining the closest NFL playoff team stadium to each county because it hosts three of the 14 playoff teams. The San Francisco 49ers (playing in Santa Clara) claim the vast majority of Northern and Central California, along with most of Nevada. In Southern California, the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers share SoFi Stadium, meaning they effectively split the same geographic territory. For fans in San Diego or Orange County, the “closest stadium” is a tie, though the Rams’ recent Super Bowl history often tips the fan-loyalty scales in the region.
The “Flyover” Counties: Remote Access to the Playoffs
For fans in the “flyover” states, being the closest NFL playoff team stadium to each county can involve a drive of several hundred miles. Residents in the Dakotas or Nebraska often find themselves nearly equidistant between the Denver Broncos and the Chicago Bears. These “frontier” counties highlight the massive gaps in the NFL’s geographic coverage during the 2026 playoffs, where a fan in Fargo might have to travel over 600 miles just to reach their “local” playoff venue at Soldier Field.
Final Thoughts on Geographic Fandom
Whether you live in the heart of a playoff city or in a remote county hundreds of miles from the nearest turf, the 2026 postseason map proves that football is a truly national obsession. Understanding the closest NFL playoff team stadium to each county helps explain why certain regions adopt “surrogate” teams during the playoffs when their local squad fails to make the cut. As the Wild Card round begins, millions of Americans will be looking toward these 13 stadiums (remember, the LA teams share one) as the epicenters of the sporting world.
