The Canadian Football League (CFL) is scheduled to play its 69th season in 2023. The Canadian Football League 2023 will be in its 65th season officially. On November 19, 2023, Hamilton is scheduled to host the 110th Grey Cup. On June 8, 2023, the regular season will begin, and it will conclude on October 28, 2023.
The Stampeders take on the BC Lions on Thursday night in Calgary to kick off the 2023 Canadian Football League season. The league will have its first truly normal season since 2019, free of labor unrest, pandemic protocols, or shortened schedules. The league is likewise coming off a successful 2022 campaign that finished with a classic Grey Cup game and a fantastic surprise result. Although there are still a few issues, given that this is the CFL, most fans can concentrate solely on the gridiron and the road to Hamilton’s 110th Grey Cup. Everyone who loves this league benefits from that.
Everything you need to know about the 65th CFL season is in this article.
The biggest change to the structure of the CFL season is that, for the first time since 2008, the division semifinal and final playoff games will be played on Saturday, while the Grey Cup will still be played on Sunday. Why it took so long to take this obvious step to avoid competing with the NFL’s enormous size is beyond me. Grey Cup ratings really went up, yet the first two rounds moved down going toward daytime NFL contests. It is acceptable that the CFL will lose that battle. For the first time, the league put itself in the best possible position to exhibit its talent and attract attention to its product. That can only lead to good things.
The CFL will also return to Atlantic Canada for the regular season, with a match between the Toronto Argonauts and the Saskatchewan Roughriders on July 29 at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax. With talk of a Maritimes expansion franchise once again gaining serious steam, this will likely be the most significant of the CFL’s “Touchdown Atlantic” games.
The on-field product received the much-needed boost thanks to the rule changes made last year. Three-down football returned, this time with a faster pace. In 2022, league scoring averaged just over 50 points per game, up 14.5 percent from the shorter 2021 season. It’s great that the CFL is back on track, as it was intended to be a high-scoring league. This season, it seems safe to expect more of the same.
The league uncovered a few minor changes to its rule book in front of the 2023 season, intended to refine last year’s more seismic changes. The most notable changes include:
After interceptions or fumble recoveries in their own end zone and when a kicked ball hits the goal post, teams will now begin drives at the 30-yard line.
Field goals and convert attempts have been restricted for defensive formations.
On kickoffs, it is no longer necessary to touch the ball for a rouge to be given.
If a holding penalty is assessed inside the offensive team’s own end zone, the opposing team can now decide to be awarded security.
During the offseason, there was a lot of movement, and some of the CFL’s most well-known players suddenly wore colors they didn’t know. How about we separate every one of the nine teams in front of Week 1:
2022 record: 12-6 (24 Points), 2nd in West; lost West final
Grey Cup odds: +500
Key additions: DL Francis Bemiy, OL Michael Couture, QB Dane Evans, DB Mike Jones, RB Kienan LaFrance, WR Justin McInnis
Key departures: RB James Butler, OT Joel Figueroa, C Peter Godber, DB Loucheiz Purifoy, QB Antonio Pipkin, QB Nathan Rourke, LB Jordan Williams
Key Canadian: LB Bo Lokombo
X-factor: QB Vernon Adams Jr.
2022 record: 12-6 (24 Points), 3rd in West; lost West semifinal
Grey Cup odds: +600
Key additions: LB Micah Awe, WR Clark Barnes, OL Jamal Campbell, DE Julian Howsare, DL Mike Moore, WR Cole Tucker, DL James Vaughters
Key departures: WR Shawn Bane Jr., OL Derek Dennis, OT Julian Good-Jones, QB Bo Levi Mitchell, DL Shawn Lemon, DL Folarin Orimolade, WR Richie Sindani, LB Jameer Thurman, CB Trumaine Washington
Key Canadian: LB Cameron Judge
X-factor: DB Titus Wall
2022 record: 4-14 (8 Points), 5th in West
Grey Cup odds: +2500
Key additions: OL Theren Churchill, K/P Michael Domagala*, WR Steven Dunbar Jr., P Jake Julien, DL A.C. Leonard, WR Eugene Lewis, WR Kyran Moore, DB Loucheiz Purifoy, OL Josiah St. John
Key departures: K Sergio Castillo, DL Avery Ellis, WR Kenny Lawler, WR Derel Walker, OL Tony Washington
Key Canadians: OLs Theren Churchill, Mark Corte, and Josiah St. John
X-factor: QB Taylor Cornelius
*Beginning season on the practice squad.
2022 record: 8-10 (16 Points), 3rd in East; lost East semifinal
Grey Cup odds: +500
Key additions: DE Kwaku Boateng, RB James Butler, DL Ja’Gared Davis, DB Chris Edwards, OT Joel Figueroa, DL Jonathan Kongbo, QB Bo Levi Mitchell, DL Casey Sayles, WR Richie Sindani, LB Jameer Thurman, WR Duke Williams
Key departures: WR Bralon Addison, CB Cariel Brooks, WR Steven Dunbar Jr., DB Ciante Evans, QB Dane Evans, DE Valentin Gnahoua, DE Julian Howsare, RB Don Jackson, DT Micah Johnson, OL Colin Kelly, DB Kameron Kelly, LB Grant McDonald, DB Jumal Rolle, LB Jovan Santos-Knox, WR/KR Papi White
Key Canadian: DT Ted Laurent
X-factor: LB Simoni Lawrence.
2022 record: 9-9 (18 Points), 2nd in East; lost East final
Grey Cup odds: +1200
Key additions: LS Louis-Philippe Bourassa, WR Greg Ellingson, DL Avery Ellis, DB Ciante Evans, QB Cody Fajardo, OL Justin Lawrence, LB Avery Williams
Key departures: DL Thomas Costigan, QB Trevor Harris, WR Eugene Lewis, DB Mike Jones, DL Mike Moore, DB Adarius Pickett, DT Michael Wakefield, WR Jake Wieneke
Key Canadian: WR Tyson Philpot
X-factor: RB William Stanback.
2022 record: 4-14 (8 Points), 4th in East
Grey Cup odds: +1400
Key additions: WR Bralon Addison*, CB Cariel Brooks, OL Dontae Bull, OG Drew Desjarlais, WR Shaq Evans, RB Ante Milanovic-Litre, LB Jovan Santos-Knox, DL Blessman Ta’ala, DT Michael Wakefield
Key departures: WR Darvin Adams, DE Kwaku Boateng, LS Louis-Philippe Bourassa, OL Darius Ciraco, QB Caleb Evans, WR Shaq Johnson, LB Patrick Levels, RB William Powell, DB Antoine Pruneau, LB Avery Williams, OL Ucambre Williams
Key Canadian: OG Drew Desjarlais
X-factor: QB Jeremiah Masoli
*Addison is starting the season on the 6-game injured list.
2022 record: 6-12 (12 Points), 4th in West
Grey Cup odds: +1400
Key additions: WR Shawn Bane Jr., OL Philip Blake, WR Juwan Brescacin, C Peter Godber, QB Trevor Harris, OL Colin Kelly, DT Micah Johnson, WR Derel Walker, WR Jake Wieneke
Key departures: OL Jamal Campbell, WR Shaq Evans, QB Cody Fajardo, RB Kienan LaFrance, WR Justin McInnis, WR Kyran Moore, OT Josiah St. John, WR Duke Williams
Key Canadian: WR Kian Schaffer-Baker
X-factor: WR Jake Wieneke
2022 record: 11-7, 1st in East; 109th Grey Cup champions
Grey Cup odds: +550
Key additions: OL Darius Ciraco, DL Thomas Costigan, DL Folarin Orimolade, DB Adarius Pickett, WR David Ungerer III, LB Jordan Williams
Key departures: WR/KR Brandon Banks, QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson, OL Philip Blake, WR Juwan Brescacin, OL Theren Churchill, DE Ja’Gared Davis, DB Chris Edwards, OL Justin Lawrence, DB Jamal Peters, DL Shane Ray, CB Shaquille Richardson
Key Canadian: WR Kurleigh Gittens Jr.
X-factors: RBs Andrew Harris and A.J. Ouellette
2022 record: 15-3 (30 Points), 1st in West; lost 109th Grey Cup
Grey Cup odds: +225
Key additions: K Sergio Castillo, WR Kenny Lawler*
Key departures: OL Michael Couture, WR Greg Ellingson, CB Tyrell Ford, K/P Marc Liegghio, QB Dakota Prukop, DL Casey Sayles
Key Canadians: WR Nic Demski
X-factor: WR Dalton Schoen
*Lawler is beginning the season on the suspended list.
| Date | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, June 8 | BC at Calgary | 9:00 pm | CBSSN/CFL+ |
| Friday, June 9 | Hamilton at Winnipeg | 8:30 pm | CFL+ |
| Saturday, June 10 | Ottawa at Montreal | 7:00 pm | CBSSN/CFL+ |
| Sunday, June 11 | Saskatchewan at Edmonton | 7:00 pm | CFL+ |
| Date | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, June 15 | Calgary at Ottawa | 7:30 pm | CFL+ |
| Friday, June 16 | Winnipeg at Saskatchewan | 9:00 pm | CBSSN/CFL+ |
| Saturday, June 17 | Edmonton at BC | 7:00 pm | CBSSN/CFL+ |
| Sunday, June 18 | Hamilton at Toronto | 7:00 pm | CBSSN/CFL+ |
| Date | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, June 22 | BC at Winnipeg | 8:30 pm | CFL+ |
| Friday, June 23 | Montreal at Hamilton | 7:30 pm | CBSSN/CFL+ |
| Saturday, June 24 | Saskatchewan at Calgary | 7:00 pm | CFL+ |
| Sunday, June 25 | Toronto at Edmonton | 7:00 pm | CFL+ |
| Date | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, June 30 | Edmonton at Ottawa | 7:30 pm | CFL+ |
| Saturday, July 1 | Winnipeg at Montreal | 7:00 pm | CBSSN/CFL+ |
| Monday, July 3 | BC at Toronto | 7:00 pm | CBSSN/CFL+ |
| Date | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, July 6 | Edmonton at Saskatchewan | 9:00pm | CBSSN/CFL+ |
| Friday, July 7 | Calgary at Winnipeg | 9:00 pm | CFL+ |
| Saturday, July 8 | Ottawa at Hamilton | 7:00 pm | CBSSN/CFL+ |
| Sunday, July 9 | Montreal at BC | 7:00 pm | CBSSN/CFL+ |
| Date | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, July 13 | Hamilton at Edmonton | 9:00 pm | CBSSN/CFL+ |
| Friday, July 14 | Toronto at Montreal | 7:30 pm | CFL+ |
| Saturday, July 15 | Winnipeg at Ottawa | 4:00 pm | CFL+ |
| Saturday, July 15 | Calgary at Saskatchewan | 7:00 pm | CBSSN/CFL+ |
| Date | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, July 20 | Edmonton at Winnipeg | 8:30 pm | CFL+ |
| Friday, July 21 | Toronto at Hamilton | 7:30 pm | CFL+ |
| Saturday, July 22 | Saskatchewan at BC | 7:00 pm | CBSSN/CFL+ |
| Sunday, July 23 | Ottawa at Calgary | 7:00 pm | CBSSN/CFL+ |
| Date | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV/Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, July 28 | Hamilton at Ottawa | 7:30 pm | CFL+ |
| Saturday, July 29 | Saskatchewan at Toronto | 4:00 pm | CBSSN/CFL+ |
| Saturday, July 29 | BC at Edmonton | 7:00 pm | CBSSN/CFL+ |
| Sunday, July 30 | Calgary at Montreal | 7:00 pm | CFL+ |
As part of their current agreement, the Canadian Football League (CFL) will continue to be broadcast on TSN and RDS across all platforms in Canada. The broadcast rights are said to have been extended through 2025. In late April 2023, the CFL declared a new partnership with CBS Sports Network, under which they will broadcast 34 games in the United States. The deal is said to be worth $1 million dollars per year, and each team is expected to receive approximately $100,000 in compensation.
The CFL will additionally live stream all games that are not broadcast by CBS for free on their own platform, dubbed CFL+. A small number of preseason games were broadcast on TSN and RDS; CFL Preseason Live, a league-operated streaming platform, provided free access to all international preseason broadcasts as well as the remaining normally unbroadcast preseason games.
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