2026 CFL Season Preview

The 2026 CFL season kicks off in a couple of weeks so now is a good time to take stock of where the league's eight teams stand entering the new campaign. 

Saskatchewan heads in as the defending Grey Cup champion after finally getting over the hump last year, but not surprisingly it doesn't open the season favored to repeat.

2026 Grey Cup Odds (courtesy BetMGM)

Montreal Alouettes +310
BC Lions +350
Saskatchewan Roughriders +600
Hamilton Tiger-Cats +600
Winnipeg Blue Bombers +750
Calgary Stampeders +850
Toronto Argonauts +900
Ottawa Redblacks +1100
Edmonton Elks +1500

Rule changes

A number of rule changes have been implemented in advance of the new season with more changes on the way in 2027.

- A 35-second play clock will start as soon as a play is dead, rather than waiting for an official to spot the ball.
- We'll see a 20-second play clock that must be whistled in by an official during the final three minutes of both halves.
- Teams will be able to end a game or half on a kneel-down if there are 40 seconds or fewer remaining on the clock, it is first down, and the defensive team holds no remaining timeouts.
- Missed field goals, punts, or kickoffs that go through or bounce out of the back or sides of the end zone will no longer be awarded a single point (rouge).
- A rouge is only given if the ball remains in the end zone and the returner fails to advance it or takes a knee.
- Of particular consequence to totals (and pointspreads), regular season games can no longer end in a tie. If teams remain tied following two standard overtime mini-games, they will alternate two-point convert attempts from the 3-yard line until a winner is determined.

Montreal Alouettes

Montreal deserves to be the favorite going into the season. This has probably been the most balanced team in the CFL over the last number of years and doesn't really have many obvious weaknesses.

You know what you're going to get with the Alouettes. They defend well, they’re disciplined and they usually don’t put themselves in bad spots with mistakes. Losing the Grey Cup to Saskatchewan last year surely lights a fire entering the season and a defensive shake-up in the offseason is what the team hopes will get it over the hump. The East Division runs through Montreal until someone proves otherwise.

B.C. Lions

Stop me if you've heard this before but B.C. feels like the team with the highest upside in the CFL. When the Lions offense gets rolling, they can score with anybody and they’ve got the kind of explosiveness that can take over games quickly.

The problem has been consistency. There are weeks where the Lions look dominant and other weeks where the offense completely stalls out for stretches. But the talent is there. If B.C. puts everything together for a full season, this team is more than capable of winning the Grey Cup.

Saskatchewan Roughriders

Saskatchewan finally broke through last season and now the challenge becomes trying to stay on top. That’s not easy in this league where roster turnover is commonplace.

What made the Riders dangerous last year was the fact they didn’t beat themselves very often. They played tough defensively, handled pressure well and made enough plays offensively when they had to.

Now everyone will be coming after them every week. It’s a lot different chasing a title than defending one.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Hamilton might be one of the more interesting teams in the league heading into the year. There’s definitely enough talent offensively for this team to make noise if things click.

The issue is whether they can hold up defensively over the course of a full season. Too many games in recent years have turned into shootouts and that usually catches up with teams eventually.

Still, their Grey Cup odds feel reasonable for a team that could easily surprise people.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers 

A perennial contender, you can never completely count Winnipeg out. Even though this team doesn’t feel as dominant as it did a few years ago, the Bombers still know how to win and they still have plenty of experience - not to mention a large chip on their shoulder after a disappointing 2025 campaign.

With that being said, it does feel like the gap between Winnipeg and the rest of the league has all but closed. This still looks like a playoff team, though, and once you get into November, experience certainly counts.

Calgary Stampeders

Calgary feels like one of the tougher teams to figure out entering the season. There’s enough talent here to stay competitive, but consistency has been an issue and there isn't a true identity.

The good news for the Stamps is expectations aren’t nearly as high as they used to be and that might actually help them a bit. I wouldn’t be shocked if Calgary ends up outperforming, particularly in the early going.

Toronto Argonauts

Toronto took a big step backward last season after winning the Grey Cup the year before and never really looked comfortable offensively for long stretches. The talent level is still good enough to bounce back, though. This isn’t a team in the throws of a rebuild and we've seen similar teams rise up before following down years.

If the Argos can get more consistency offensively and stop killing drives with mistakes, they should at least be back in the playoff mix.

Ottawa Redblacks 

Ottawa has improved compared to where this franchise was a few years ago, but it still feels like there’s another level missing offensively. Last year's four-win campaign was a disaster, especially with expectations rising in the nation's capital.

The defense can compete most weeks and they usually play hard, but against the better teams in the CFL, Ottawa still struggles creating enough big plays consistently. This feels more like a middle-of-the-pack team at best rather than a true contender right now.

Edmonton Elks 

Edmonton opens the year with the longest odds on the board and that’s understandable considering how the last few seasons have gone and given its roster construction.

The Elks have shown flashes at times, but they still haven’t proven they can put things together consistently enough to really be taken seriously as contenders, or even a legitimate playoff threat. Of course, things can change quickly in the CFL. One strong season at quarterback can completely change the outlook of a franchise in this league.