Updated Jan. 10, 2026, 7:52 p.m. ET
- The Philadelphia Eagles will host the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC wild-card round.
- Philadelphia could host a divisional-round playoff game depending on the outcomes of other NFC matchups.
- For the Eagles to host a second playoff game, they must first defeat the 49ers.
- An Eagles win combined with a Green Bay Packers victory over the Chicago Bears would secure a home divisional game for Philadelphia.
The NFL’s Wild Card weekend is upon us, and the Eagles will host the No. 6 seed San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in the wild-card round, which could be their only home playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field unless other scenarios play out in the NFC.
While the Eagles won’t play until Sunday, all eyes in Philadelphia on Saturday will be on the FOX and Amazon Prime screens as key scenarios unfold, and a win on Sunday could put the Birds in position to host a divisional-round playoff game on January 17 or 18.
With kickoff just hours away in Carolina, we’re looking at the wild card round rooting guide that can set Philadelphia up to play host in the divisional round with a win.
Divisional round outlook
The No. 1-seeded Seahawks would host the lowest-seeded remaining opponent. If the highest seeds are victorious, the Panthers would travel to Seattle, while Philadelphia would travel to San Francisco. A Green Bay win over Chicago, and the Packers would travel to play the Seattle Seahawks, the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and the Eagles would play the winner of the Carolina Panthers (No. 4 seed) vs. Los Angeles Rams (No. 5 seed) game at home in the divisional round.
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If the Rams defeat the Panthers and Eagles defeat the 49ers, Philadelphia would travel to Chicago, and Seattle would host Sean McVay’s team. If the Eagles lose to San Francisco, Seattle would host the Niners if Chicago defeats the Packers.
Rooting scenarios
The two teams previously met in Carolina on November 30, as Bryce Young completed 15 of 20 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns — two of them coming on fourth down, including a go-ahead 43-yard score to rookie Tetairoa McMillan with 6:34 left — as the Carolina Panthers forced three Matthew Stafford turnovers to beat Los Angeles 31-28 to snap the Rams’ six-game winning streak. A Green Bay win over Chicago would put the Eagles in line to host the winner of this game. With all the offensive firepower in Los Angeles, and the Panthers just getting their playoff feet wet, we’ll be cheering on the Panthers in the upset despite being the higher seed.
Root for Bryce Young and Carolina.
Packers 9-7-1 (7 seed) @ Bears 11-6 (2 seed) 7:00 PM Prime Video
This will be the third meeting between the two teams, with the home team securing victories. While the hate for both organizations is strong, and the Birds aren’t ducking any opponents, if the Eagles want to host another playoff game, they would need the No. 7 seed, the Green Bay Packers, to beat the Bears. A Green Bay win over Chicago, and the Packers would travel to play the Seattle Seahawks, the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and the Eagles would play the winner of the Carolina Panthers (No. 4 seed) vs. Los Angeles Rams (No. 5 seed) game at home in the divisional round.
Root for the Packers