American Forces Network to broadcast NFL's championship games despite shutdown

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The American Forces Network will broadcast the NFL's conference championship games despite the federal government shutdown.

There was some question about access to the games for military outside the U.S. after the AFN put a message on its Facebook page on Saturday that its services would not be available because of the shutdown. The network airs American radio and television programming in Europe and other locations outside the U.S.

But White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders posted Sunday on her Twitter account that the AFN had been restored. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy also tweeted that the games would be on the network and called it "great news."

New England takes on Jacksonville in the AFC championship, and Minnesota faces Philadelphia in the NFC championship.