Conferences

What does Conferences Mean?

A manner of splitting teams from a particular league into two groups that primarily play against each other. Each conference is made up of several divisions. Teams play against teams from their own conference more often than teams from the other conference. The two conference champions play against each other in the final game.

Sporting Charts explains Conferences

The NFL is specifically divided into two conferences: the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). Twelve of the sixteen games a team plays each season will be against teams from their own conference, with only four interconference games a year. Each conference is divided into four divisions: north, south, east, and west. The two conferences will have their own playoff bracket, and the champion of each conference plays in the Super Bowl.

The conference affiliations are primarily based on which original football league a team played in, the NFL or the AFL, although a few teams have switched over the years.