| CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE |
LEAGUE WEBSITE  |
| RULES |
| PLAYOFFS |
| TEAMS |
CANADIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE (CFL) or League de Football Canadien (LCF) plays a version of Gridiron Football that is similar to American Football. The CFL plays Canadian Football and began in 1958, from a merger between the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union (founded 1907) and the Western Interprovincial Football Union (founded 1936), having formerly been a member of the Canadian Football Council (CFC),which it withdrew from to form the CFL. It traces its history back to the 1880s. It remains the only Football League in North America that has its teams solely based in Canada, having briefly hosted USA teams from 1993-1995.
 |
1955-1968 |
|---|---|
 |
1969-2002 |
 |
2002-2015 |
|
2016- |
Canadian football, or simply football, is a sport in Canada which is similar to American Football which has some differences to its counterpart.
Teams are made up of 12 players each, who compete on a field 110 yards (101 m) long and 65 yards (59 m) wide, attempting to advance a pointed oval-shaped ball into the opposing team's end zone in a series of three downs to advance the ball 10 yards, while the NFL uses four downs.
On September 22, 2025, the CFL Commissioner Stewart Johnston announced significant changes to the game to be rolled out across the 2026 and 2027 seasons. These changes include:
- Goal posts to be moved from the goal line to the back of the end zone.
- Field to be adjusted to shortening the end zones from 20 to 15 yards and the field from 110 to 100 yards but keeping to 65 yards width which will be implemented for the 2027 CFL season.
- Implementing a new 35-second play clock that will automatically begin as soon as the previous play is whistled dead.
- Team benches will be on opposite sides of the field.
- A Rouge (1 point) is only scored if the ball isn't advanced out of the end zone.
| duration | June 5 - October 25 |
| Playoffs | |
|---|---|
| Division Semi-Finals | November 2 |
| Division Finals | November 9 |
| 112th Grey Cup | November 16 |
| EAST DIVISION |
| WEST DIVISION |
| CFL IN THE USA (1993-1995) |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
It is currently made up of 9 teams with the Ottawa RedBlacks having joined in 2014.
Each team plays 2 pre-season games, in May-June, before competing in a 18-game/21-week regular season including 3 bye weeks,between June and November. The regular season is followed by the Grey Cup Playoffs.
In 1995, the Baltimore Stallions became the only American team to win the 83rd Grey Cup, before the league returned to Canada-based teams in 1996 and has remained like that ever since.
PROPOSED TEAMS |
|
|---|---|
 ATLANTIC SCHOONERS (DARTMOUTH,NS) | |
The Atlantic Schooners were a conditional Canadian Football League (CFL) expansion team that was to begin play in 1984 in Dartmouth, NOVEMBERa Scotia. However, team ownership could not secure funding for a stadium and the franchise application was withdrawn 13 months after it had been submitted. The Atlantic Schooners name was revived in 2018 as the name of a proposed CFL expansion team. As of 2023, the proposed owners Schooner Sports and Entertainment (SSE) are no longer involved in pursuing a team for Atlantic Canada and plans of expansion to 10 teams have not been further reported since 2023.
| 1958-1986 | |
|---|---|
| 9 | British Columbia Lions Calgary Stampeders Edmonton Eskimos Hamilton Tiger-Cats Montreal Alouettes Ottawa Rough Riders Saskatchewan Roughriders Toronto Argonauts Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| 1987-1992 | |
| 8 | British Columbia Lions Calgary Stampeders Edmonton Eskimos Hamilton Tiger-Cats Montreal Alouettes Ottawa Rough Riders Saskatchewan Roughriders Toronto Argonauts Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
Montreal Alouettes (FOLDED) |
|
| 1993 | |
| 9 | British Columbia Lions Calgary Stampeders Edmonton Eskimos Hamilton Tiger-Cats Ottawa Rough Riders Saskatchewan Roughriders Toronto Argonauts Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
Sacramento Gold Miners (EXPANSION) |
|
| 1994 | |
| 12 | British Columbia Lions Calgary Stampeders Edmonton Eskimos Hamilton Tiger-Cats Ottawa Rough Riders Sacramento Gold Miners Saskatchewan Roughriders Toronto Argonauts Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
Baltimore CFLers (EXPANSION) Las Vegas Posse (EXPANSION) Shreveport Pirates (EXPANSION) |
|
| 1995 | |
| 13 | British Columbia Lions Calgary Stampeders Edmonton Eskimos Hamilton Tiger-Cats Ottawa Rough Riders Saskatchewan Roughriders Shreveport Pirates Toronto Argonauts Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
Baltimore CFLers > Baltimore Stallions |
|
Birmingham Barracudas (EXPANSION) Memphis Mad Dogs (EXPANSION) San Antonio Texans (EXPANSION) |
|
Las Vegas Posse (FOLDED) Sacramento Gold Miners (FOLDED) |
|
| 1996 | |
| 9 | British Columbia Lions Calgary Stampeders Edmonton Eskimos Hamilton Tiger-Cats Ottawa Rough Riders Saskatchewan Roughriders Toronto Argonauts Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
Montreal Alouettes (EXPANSION) |
|
Baltimore Stallions (FOLDED) Birmingham Barracudas (FOLDED) Memphis Mad Dogs (FOLDED) San Antonio Texans (FOLDED) Shreveport Pirates (FOLDED) |
|
| 1997-2001 | |
| 8 | British Columbia Lions Calgary Stampeders Edmonton Eskimos Hamilton Tiger-Cats Montreal Alouettes Saskatchewan Roughriders Toronto Argonauts Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
Ottawa Rough Riders (FOLDED) |
|
| 2002-2005 | |
| 9 | British Columbia Lions Calgary Stampeders Edmonton Eskimos Hamilton Tiger-Cats Montreal Alouettes Saskatchewan Roughriders Toronto Argonauts Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
Ottawa Renegades (EXPANSION) |
|
| 2006-2013 | |
| 8 | British Columbia Lions Calgary Stampeders Edmonton Eskimos Hamilton Tiger-Cats Montreal Alouettes Saskatchewan Roughriders Toronto Argonauts Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
Ottawa Renegades (FOLDED) |
|
| 2014-2019 | |
| 8 | British Columbia Lions Calgary Stampeders Edmonton Eskimos Hamilton Tiger-Cats Montreal Alouettes Saskatchewan Roughriders Toronto Argonauts Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
Ottawa RedBlacks (EXPANSION) |
|
| 2020-2021 | |
| 8 | British Columbia Lions Calgary Stampeders Hamilton Tiger-Cats Montreal Alouettes Saskatchewan Roughriders Toronto Argonauts Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
Edmonton Eskimos > Edmonton Football Team |
|
| 2021- | |
| 8 | British Columbia Lions Calgary Stampeders Hamilton Tiger-Cats Montreal Alouettes Saskatchewan Roughriders Toronto Argonauts Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
Edmonton Football Team > Edmonton Elks |
|
| PLAYOFFS |
The CFL Playoffs are made up of the top 3 per division (cross-over method is used if the 4th placed team in one division has a better a record than the 3rd placed team in the other division) which end in November with the Grey Cup.
| EAST DIVISION PLAYOFFS |
| WEST DIVISION PLAYOFFS |
 |
Grey Cup |
|---|
| FUTURE GREY CUP HOSTS |
The Grey Cup is both the name of the Canadian Football League's championship game and its trophy and is contested between the East Division and West Division champions every November and was donated by the Earl Grey, the Canada's governor general,in 1909. It was previously played by amateur teams up until 1954, and during the Second World War, by military teams (1942-1944).
The Grey Cup Trophy has had 4 bases under the actual trophy cup, with the original base being made of wood. The latest replacement, allows for more name plaques on the trophy,debuted in 2019.
For the first time since 1919, the 2020 Grey Cup (108th) was cancelled. Hamilton hosted the 108th Grey Cup in 2021, as planned, and Regina hosted the 109th Grey Cup in 2022.
| 112th grey cup | MOST TITLES |
|---|---|
 Saskatchewan Roughriders (5) |
 TORONTO ARGONAUTS (19) |
Since the merger and creation of the Canadian Football League began in 1958, the Edmonton Eskimos (now Elks) have won the most Grey Cup Championships (11) and have made the most Grey Cup appearances (19).
Winnipeg Blue Bombers have appeared and lost the most Grey Cups.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats remain the only team yet to win this millenium.
+ - Altough the official website of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats consider them as the same team,the Tiger-Cats,Hamilton Alerts,Hamilton Tigers and Hamilton Flying Wildcats are all listed separately because,when the latter three were active, these teams competed as separate franchises. The Tigers and Flying Wildcats merged in 1950 to create the Tiger-Cats.
++ - As defined in the 2016 CFL's Facts, Figures, and Records and the 2023 CFL Guide & Record Book, for historical record purposes and by the current Ottawa Redblacks' request, the Ottawa Football Clubs are considered to be a single entity since 1876 with two periods of inactivity (1997-2001 and 2006-2013). Consequently, figures from the Ottawa Football Club (1876-1898), Ottawa Rough Riders (1899-1919, 1931-1996), Ottawa Senators (1920-1930), Ottawa Renegades (2002-2005), and Ottawa Redblacks (2014-present) are included as one and represented by the Redblack's helmet as this is the current Ottawa team.
| ACTIVE TEAMS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STANDINGS | ||||||
| Team | REC | A | RT | RA | ||
|
Toronto Argonauts | 19-6 | 24 | 2024 | 2024 | |
 |
Edmonton Elks | 14-9 | 23 | 2015 | 2015 | |
 |
Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 12-17 | 29 | 2021 | 2024 | |
 |
Ottawa Redblacks++ | 10-8 | 18 | 2016 | 2018 | |
 |
Hamilton Tiger-Cats+ | 8-14 | 22 | 1999 | 2021 | |
 |
Montreal Alouettes | 8-12 | 20 | 2023 | 2025 | |
 |
Calgary Stampeders | 8-9 | 17 | 2018 | 2018 | |
 |
BC Lions | 6-4 | 10 | 2011 | 2011 | |
|
Saskatchewan Roughriders | 5-15 | 20 | 2025 | 2025 | |
| DEFUNCT AND AMATEUR TEAMS | ||||||
 |
Hamilton Tigers + | 5-3 | 8 | 1932 | 1935 | |
 |
UniVERSITY of Toronto Varsity Blues | 4-2 | 6 | 1920 | 1926 | |
 |
Queen's University Gaels | 3-0 | 3 | 1924 | 1924 | |
|
Sarnia Imperials | 2-1 | 3 | 1936 | 1936 | |
|
Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers | 2-2 | 4 | 1927 | 1940 | |
 |
Baltimore Stallions | 1-1 | 2 | 1995 | 1995 | |
|
Hamilton Alerts + | 1-0 | 1 | 1912 | 1912 | |
|
Hamilton Flying Wildcats + | 1-1 | 2 | 1943 | 1944 | |
|
Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers | 1-1 | 2 | 1931 | 1931 | |
|
St. Hyacine-Donnacona Navy | 1-0 | 1 | 1944 | 1944 | |
|
Toronto RCAF Hurricanes | 1-0 | 1 | 1942 | 1942 | |
|
Edmonton Elks / Edmonton Eskimos | 0-2 | 2 | - | 1922 | |
|
Toronto Parkdale Canoe Club | 0-2 | 2 | - | 1922 | |
|
Toronto Rowing Association | 0-1 | 1 | - | 1915 | |
|
Winnipeg RCAF Bombers | 0-2 | 2 | - | 1943 | |
|
Winnipeg Tammany Tigers | 0-1 | 1 | - | 1925 | |
- Most victories: 19** Toronto Argonauts
- Most losses: 17** Winnipeg Blue Bombers
- Most appearances: 29** Winnipeg Blue Bombers
- Most consecutive appearances: 6** Edmonton Elks (as Eskimos) (1977-1982)
- Most consecutive victories: 5** Edmonton Elks (as Eskimos) (1978-1982)
- Most consecutive losses: 3** Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2022,2023,2024)
- Longest Title drought (in seasons): 25** Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1999)
- *Tied for CFL record
- **CFL record
Notes: