If you’re waking up on this Saturday, January 17, 2026, and frantically checking your apps to see where is the Kansas City Chiefs game today, I’ve got some news that might sting a little. You can put the jersey away. Or, well, keep it on, but maybe just for the couch.
The Kansas City Chiefs are not playing today.
It feels weird, right? For the first time in what feels like a lifetime—specifically since 2014—the Chiefs are officially in "offseason mode" while the NFL Divisional Round kicks off without them. After a grueling 2025-26 campaign that didn't go their way, Patrick Mahomes and company are watching from the sidelines just like the rest of us.
The Empty Seat at the Divisional Table
Usually, this is the weekend where GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium is shaking. We’re used to seeing the smoke, hearing the drum, and watching Travis Kelce find some impossible open pocket in a zone defense. But the 2025 regular season wrapped up on January 4th with a loss to the Raiders in Las Vegas, and that was the final whistle for this year’s squad.
The Chiefs finished third in the AFC West. That’s a sentence that still feels like a typo.
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Because they missed the postseason, the Divisional Round games happening today and tomorrow feature teams like the Denver Broncos—who actually secured the No. 1 seed in the AFC—and the Buffalo Bills. While we're all asking "where is the Kansas City Chiefs game today," the reality is that the AFC playoffs are currently running through Denver and New England this time around.
Why Aren't the Chiefs Playing?
Honestly, it was a perfect storm of bad luck and uncharacteristic struggles. The NFL is a league of razor-thin margins.
- The Injury Bug: We saw Mahomes dealing with a lingering rehab process late in the year. He's already eyeing Week 1 of 2026, but the mobility we’re used to just wasn’t quite there in December.
- The Division Shift: The AFC West got a lot tougher. The Broncos found a rhythm that snatched the divisional lead, and the Raiders played spoiler in that final Week 18 matchup at Allegiant Stadium.
- The Scheduling Formula: Because the Chiefs finished third in the division, they didn't get the tie-breaker help they usually rely on.
It’s a bit of a reality check. For years, Kansas City fans have been spoiled with January home games. Today, the stadium is quiet, likely covered in a light dusting of Missouri frost, while the focus of the NFL world shifts elsewhere.
Looking Ahead: The 2026 Opponents Are Set
Since there is no game to watch today, the best thing to do is look at what's coming. The NFL has already locked in the opponents for the 2026 season. If you're planning your travel or wondering when you can finally get back to Arrowhead, the list of home games is actually pretty spicy.
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Next season, the Chiefs will host:
- Denver Broncos (Revenge game, anyone?)
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Los Angeles Chargers
- San Francisco 49ers (A Super Bowl rematch that always brings the heat)
- Indianapolis Colts
- New York Jets
- New England Patriots
- Arizona Cardinals
They’ll also be heading on the road to face the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins. It’s a schedule designed for a comeback.
What to Watch Today Instead
Just because the Chiefs aren't on doesn't mean you have to talk to your family. The Divisional Round is arguably the best weekend of football all year.
Today’s slate features the Buffalo Bills visiting the Denver Broncos at 4:30 p.m. ET. It’s a weird feeling seeing the Broncos as the powerhouse in the AFC West, but that’s the 2026 landscape. Later tonight, at 8 p.m. ET, the San Francisco 49ers take on the Seattle Seahawks.
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If you're a Chiefs fan, you're probably rooting for whoever is playing the Broncos. It’s okay. We all do it.
The Path Back to January Football
Missing the playoffs is rare for this franchise, but it often leads to a "reload" rather than a "rebuild." The front office is already looking at the 2026 NFL Draft and free agency to patch the holes that appeared this year.
Basically, the 2025 season was the "low" that makes the next "high" feel even better. You’ve seen Mahomes when he’s doubted. You’ve seen Andy Reid with an entire offseason to stew over a third-place finish. It usually doesn't end well for the rest of the league.
So, while the answer to where is the Kansas City Chiefs game today is "nowhere," the groundwork for next January is already being laid.
To stay ahead of the curve for next season, your best bet is to keep an eye on the NFL's official schedule release in May. That is when we will get the actual dates and kickoff times for the 2026-27 season. For now, enjoy the playoffs as a neutral observer—it's a lot less stressful for your heart rate.
If you want to start planning your 2026 trips, look into booking hotels near Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta or SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles early, as the Chiefs have confirmed away games there next year.