National Lacrosse League Unveils 2026 Playoff Schedule and Quarterfinal Matchups
Published on April 19, 2026 under National Lacrosse League (NLL) News Release
Philadelphia - The National Lacrosse League (NLL) has announced the schedule for the 2026 NLL Playoffs, which will begin on Friday, April 24th when the Vancouver Warriors host the Halifax Thunderbirds at 10 pm ET. The Warriors clinched the top overall seed in the eight-team playoff format and will have home-floor advantage throughout the postseason.
Playoff Format
The NLL adopted a single-table format ahead of the 2023-24 season, eliminating its previous divisional structure. Under this format, the League's top eight teams qualify for the playoffs regardless of geographic alignment, ensuring the strongest teams compete for the championship.
In the single-elimination quarterfinal round, the higher seed will host each matchup: No. 1 vs. No. 8, No. 2 vs. No. 7, No. 3 vs. No. 6, and No. 4 vs. No. 5. Full matchup details are listed below.
Quarterfinal winners advance to the best-of-three semifinal round, set to begin the weekend of April 30th.
2026 NLL Playoffs Schedule (Tentative):
Quarterfinals (Single Elimination)
Friday, April 24 - Saturday, April 25
(8) Halifax at (1) Vancouver - Friday, April 24 | 10 pm ET
(7) San Diego at (2) Colorado - Saturday, April 25 | 9 pm ET
(6) Toronto at (3) Saskatchewan - Saturday, April 25 | 9 pm ET
(5) Buffalo at (4) Georgia - Saturday, April 25 | 7:30 pm ET
Semifinals (Best-of-Three)
Thursday, April 30 - Sunday, May 3
Thursday, May 7 - Sunday, May 10 (if necessary)
2026 NLL Finals (Best-of-Three)
Thursday, May 14 - Sunday, May 17*
Thursday, May 21 - Monday, May 25 (if necessary)
*If both semifinals are sweeps, the NLL Finals may begin as early as the weekend of May 7-10.
Broadcast Information
Fans can catch every playoff game live on ESPN+, TSN+, and NLL+ (territory restrictions apply). Complete broadcast information, including the TSN and ESPN schedules, will be announced on Tuesday.
National Lacrosse League Stories from April 19, 2026
- Knighthawks Drop Finale to Georgia in Front of Record Crowd - Rochester Knighthawks
- Georgia Swarm to Host First Home Playoff Game Since 2019 in Quarterfinal Round - Georgia Swarm
- National Lacrosse League Unveils 2026 Playoff Schedule and Quarterfinal Matchups - NLL
- Bandits to Open Playoffs at Georgia on Saturday, April 25 - Buffalo Bandits
- Rock Will Travel to Saskatchewan to Open Playoffs - Toronto Rock
- Black Bears Fall to Thunderbirds, Will Miss Playoffs - Ottawa Black Bears
- Mammoth Drop 9-8 Regular Season Finale to Calgary Roughnecks - Colorado Mammoth
- Nick Damude Buoys Wings over Vegas - Philadelphia Wings
- Thunderbirds Beat Black Bears to Punch Ticket to Playoffs - Halifax Thunderbirds
- Keegan Bal's Sock Trick Lifts Warriors Past Wings, 7-10, in Season Finale, Clinch First Place - Vancouver Warriors
- Seals and Desert Dogs Wrap up Season Saturday Night in Las Vegas as San Diego Sets Its Sights on the Postseason - San Diego Seals
- Rock Lose Season Finale in OT - Toronto Rock
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