The rebuilds are complete.
Just three seasons removed from a 5-12, last-place AFC West campaign, the Denver Broncos finished 2025 with a 14-3 record, the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, home-field advantage and an impressive victory over the Bills.
As for the New England Patriots, the club rebounded from a 4-13 season behind new head coach Mike Vrabel and MVP-like play from quarterback Drake Maye to secure the second seed.
And, now, they’re meeting in the 2026 AFC Championship game…under unusual circumstances. More on that later, though.
If you’d like to see these resilient powerhouse players face off at the Broncos’ Empower Field at Mile High on Sunday, Jan. 25, tickets are available for this cutthroat, go big or go home contest on sites like Ticketmaster, StubHub and more.
At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find to get in the door in Denver was $523.60 including fees on Ticketmaster.
100-level seats start at $735.42 including fees on Ticketmaster.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re likely aware that Broncos starting quarterback Bo Nix suffered a broken ankle injury in the team’s Divisional Round win.
Taking his position is 29-year-old backup quarterback and former New England Patriot Jarrett Stidham who hasn’t thrown a pass in an NFL game since January 2024. In his most recent game against the Raiders (which was two years ago), Denver lost 27-14.
According to CBS Sports, retired signal callers Ryan Tannenhill, Matt Ryan, Cam Newton, Drew Brees, Andrew Luck and Colin Kaepernick are all candidates to take his spot if head coach Sean Payton doesn’t feel confident in Stidham’s ability.
Either way, whoever takes snaps for Denver will need all the support they can get on Sunday.
Sound like the can’t-miss playoff game of your dreams?
We’re here to fill in the blanks on everything you need to know to get there.
Below, you’ll find all the essential details from ticket prices to Mile High’s stadium seating chart to betting lines and more for the 2026 AFC Championship game between the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots.
Denver Broncos vs. New England Patriots AFC Championship game tickets
A complete breakdown of all the best ticket prices on the various ticket platforms — Ticketmaster, StubHub, Vivid Seats and GameTime — can be found here:
| Broncos vs. Patriots tickets | Ticket prices start at |
|---|---|
| Ticketmaster | $523.60 (including fees) |
| StubHub | $646 (including fees) |
| Vivid Seats | $1,273 (including fees) |
| GameTime | $594 (including fees) |
Empower Field at Mile High seating chart
Never been out to Denver to see Nix Stidham toss the pigskin in person?
We’re here to help you get acquainted with your surroundings.
Check out a map of Empower Field at Mile High below for a better picture of all the views from the venue’s stands.
About the Broncos vs. Patriots matchup
The last time the Broncos and Patriots met was back in December 2023; New England won that contest 26-23.
Obviously, things have changed quite a bit since then.
Coming into this matchup with Stidham taking the reins, the Patriots have become 5.5-point road favorites, according to The Post.
Still, don’t give up hope just yet, Broncos fans.
“It will be a significant undertaking for the Broncos’ coaching staff to get Stidham ready to play the biggest game (hopefully, for them, two games) of his career, but Sean Payton is a guy we can trust to get them there,” reporter Erich Richter noted.
For more on Denver, check out the NY Post’s coverage of the Broncos here.
Prefer New England? Click here to read Patriots stories courtesy of the NY Post.
Huge 2026 Denver concerts
On top of the AFC Championship, many huge artists will also be flying into the Mile High City these next few months.
Here are just five of our favorites you won’t want to miss live.
• Morgan Wallen (May 29-30)
• AC/DC (July 28)
• Zach Bryan (Aug. 13-14)
• Avenged Sevenfold with Good Charlotte (Aug. 23)
• RUSH (Oct. 5, 7)
Who else is on the road? Check out our list of all the biggest artists on tour in 2026 to find the show of your dreams.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
