What Are AFC And NFC Divisions? AFC and NFC divisions are the eight geographical groupings of four teams each within the NFL’s two conferences, used for scheduling and playoff qualification.
Key Takeaways
- The NFL is divided into two conferences: AFC and NFC.
- Each conference has 4 divisions: North, South, East, and West.
- There are 32 teams in total, with 4 teams in each division.
- Divisional structure impacts scheduling and playoff seeding.
The National Football League’s Divisional Structure
The National Football League (NFL) organizes its 32 teams into a structured system of conferences and divisions. This arrangement serves multiple purposes, including facilitating scheduling, fostering rivalries, and determining playoff qualifications.
Conferences: AFC and NFC
The NFL is split into two main conferences:
- American Football Conference (AFC)
- National Football Conference (NFC)
Each conference contains 16 teams, further divided into four divisions.
Divisions Within Each Conference
Both the AFC and NFC are organized into four divisions each:
North
South
East
West
This results in a total of eight divisions across the entire NFL, with four teams per division.
AFC Divisions and Teams
AFC North • Baltimore Ravens • Cincinnati Bengals • Cleveland Browns • Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC South • Houston Texans • Indianapolis Colts • Jacksonville Jaguars • Tennessee Titans
AFC East • Buffalo Bills • Miami Dolphins • New England Patriots • New York Jets
AFC West • Denver Broncos • Kansas City Chiefs • Las Vegas Raiders • Los Angeles Chargers
NFC Divisions and Teams
NFC North • Chicago Bears • Detroit Lions • Green Bay Packers • Minnesota Vikings
NFC South • Atlanta Falcons • Carolina Panthers • New Orleans Saints • Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC East • Dallas Cowboys • New York Giants • Philadelphia Eagles • Washington Commanders
NFC West • Arizona Cardinals • Los Angeles Rams • San Francisco 49ers • Seattle Seahawks
NFL Divisions
Here’s the table of NFL Divisions and all the details:
AFC Teams
| AFC Division | Teams | City | Stadium | Capacity | First Season (AFL/NFL) | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East | Buffalo Bills | Orchard Park, NY | Highmark Stadium | 71,608 | 1960 (AFL)/1970 (NFL) | Sean McDermott |
| East | Miami Dolphins | Miami Gardens, FL | Hard Rock Stadium | 64,767 | 1966 (AFL)/1970 (NFL) | Mike McDaniel |
| East | New England Patriots | Foxborough, MA | Gillette Stadium | 65,878 | 1960 (AFL)/1970 (NFL) | Jerod Mayo |
| East | New York Jets | East Rutherford, NJ | MetLife Stadium | 82,500 | 1960 (AFL)/1970 (NFL) | Robert Saleh |
| North | Baltimore Ravens | Baltimore, MD | M&T Bank Stadium | 71,008 | 1996 | John Harbaugh |
| North | Cincinnati Bengals | Cincinnati, OH | Paycor Stadium | 65,515 | 1968 (AFL)/1970 (NFL) | Zac Taylor |
| North | Cleveland Browns | Cleveland, OH | Cleveland Browns Stadium | 67,895 | 1946 (AAFC)/1950 (NFL) | Kevin Stefanski |
| North | Pittsburgh Steelers | Pittsburgh, PA | Acrisure Stadium | 68,400 | 1933 | Mike Tomlin |
| South | Houston Texans | Houston, TX | NRG Stadium | 71,995 | 2002 | DeMeco Ryans |
| South | Indianapolis Colts | Indianapolis, IN | Lucas Oil Stadium | 63,000 | 1953 | Shane Steichen |
| South | Jacksonville Jaguars | Jacksonville, FL | EverBank Stadium | 67,814 | 1995 | Doug Pederson |
| South | Tennessee Titans | Nashville, TN | Nissan Stadium | 69,143 | 1960 (AFL)/1970 (NFL) | Brian Callahan |
| West | Denver Broncos | Denver, CO | Empower Field at Mile High | 76,125 | 1960 (AFL)/1970 (NFL) | Sean Payton |
| West | Kansas City Chiefs | Kansas City, MO | GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium | 76,416 | 1960 (AFL)/1970 (NFL) | Andy Reid |
| West | Las Vegas Raiders | Paradise, NV | Allegiant Stadium | 65,000 | 1960 (AFL)/1970 (NFL) | Antonio Pierce |
| West | Los Angeles Chargers | Inglewood, CA | SoFi Stadium | 70,240 | 1960 (AFL)/1970 (NFL) | Jim Harbaugh |
NFC Teams
| NFC Division | Teams | City | Stadium | Capacity | First Season (AFL/NFL) | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East | Dallas Cowboys | Arlington, TX | AT&T Stadium | 80,000 | 1960 | Mike McCarthy |
| East | New York Giants | East Rutherford, NJ | MetLife Stadium | 82,500 | 1925 | Brian Daboll |
| East | Philadelphia Eagles | Philadelphia, PA | Lincoln Financial Field | 69,176 | 1933 | Nick Sirianni |
| East | Washington Commanders | Landover, MD | FedExField | 62,000 | 1932 | Dan Quinn |
| North | Chicago Bears | Chicago, IL | Soldier Field | 61,500 | 1920 | Matt Eberflus |
| North | Detroit Lions | Detroit, MI | Ford Field | 65,000 | 1930 | Dan Campbell |
| North | Green Bay Packers | Green Bay, WI | Lambeau Field | 81,441 | 1921 | Matt LaFleur |
| North | Minnesota Vikings | Minneapolis, MN | U.S. Bank Stadium | 66,860 | 1961 | Kevin O’Connell |
| South | Atlanta Falcons | Atlanta, GA | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | 71,000 | 1966 | Raheem Morris |
| South | Carolina Panthers | Charlotte, NC | Bank of America Stadium | 75,523 | 1995 | Dave Canales |
| South | New Orleans Saints | New Orleans, LA | Caesars Superdome | 73,208 | 1967 | Dennis Allen |
| South | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Tampa, FL | Raymond James Stadium | 65,618 | 1976 | Todd Bowles |
| West | Arizona Cardinals | Glendale, AZ | State Farm Stadium | 63,400 | 1920 | Jonathan Gannon |
| West | Los Angeles Rams | Inglewood, CA | SoFi Stadium | 70,240 | 1936 (AFL)/1937 (NFL) | Sean McVay |
| West | San Francisco 49ers | Santa Clara, CA | Levi’s Stadium | 68,500 | 1946 (AAFC)/1950 (NFL) | Kyle Shanahan |
| West | Seattle Seahawks | Seattle, WA | Lumen Field | 69,000 | 1976 | Mike Macdonald |
Map of NFL Divisions
Here’s the map of NFL Divisions
Impact of Divisional Structure
The NFL’s divisional arrangement significantly influences various aspects of the league:
Scheduling: Teams play their divisional opponents twice each season (home and away), ensuring regular matchups between rivals.
Playoff Seeding: Division winners automatically qualify for the playoffs.
Historical Context (NFL Divisions History)
The current NFL structure resulted from the 1970 merger between the NFL and the American Football League (AFL). This merger led to the creation of the AFC and NFC conferences.
Also Read:
Monday Night Football Schedule
Thursday Night Football Schedule
Sunday Night Football Schedule
Competitive Balance
While the NFL strives for parity, some divisions have historically been more competitive than others. The NFC East has produced 13 Super Bowl champions, the most of any division. Conversely, the AFC South has seen the least Super Bowl success, with only two victories (both by the Indianapolis Colts).
The NFL’s division structure forms the backbone of the league’s organization. It shapes the regular season schedule, determines playoff berths, and fosters rivalries that captivate fans. Understanding this structure enhances appreciation for the strategic aspects of NFL competition and the narratives that unfold each season.
