The Canadian Football League has released its full schedule for 2023.
“From the first regular season game next June to the 110th Grey Cup in November, it promises to be a season of big plays and big fun right across the country,” said CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie in a statement.
The season gets underway on Thursday, June 8 with a game between the B.C. Lions and Calgary Stampeders. It will culminate in the 110th Grey Cup on Sunday, Nov. 19 at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton.
There are some significant changes to this year’s schedule, including moving the divisional playoff games to Saturdays, fewer instances of home-and-home series, and more consistent kickoff times and game days. There are 11 games on Sundays during the regular season in the summer.
“This schedule reflects our best effort to engage all of our fans,” Ambrosie said. “It’s a positive response to input we’’e had from our ticket-buying fans. But it also includes some different approaches designed with our broadcast audiences in mind.”
The preseason gets underway on Monday, May 22 with a date between the Edmonton Elks and Calgary Stampeders and will end on Friday, June 2 when the Saskatchewan Roughriders visit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
The rest of the matchups in Week 1 of the regular season will feature the Hamilton Tiger-Cats against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday, June 9, the Ottawa Redblacks against the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday, June 10, and the Saskatchewan Roughriders against the Edmonton Elks on Sunday, June 11. The Toronto Argonauts will start the season with a bye week.
The CFL will celebrate Canada Day in Montreal when the Alouettes will host the Blue Bombers. Kickoff is slated for 7:00 p.m. ET.
The 2023 season will feature its usual slate of rivalry games during Labour Day weekend with Winnipeg visiting Saskatchewan, Toronto visiting Hamilton, and Edmonton visiting Calgary. Winnipeg and Saskatchewan will meet again the following week in the Banjo Bowl and Edmonton and Calgary will play a rematch of the Battle of Alberta.
The annual Hall of Fame game will take place on Saturday, Sept. 16 when the Tiger-Cats host the Blue Bombers at Tim Hortons Field. A new class will be welcomed to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame with a special halftime tribute for the inductees at halftime.
Thanksgiving will feature a matchup between the Alouettes and Redblacks with kickoff slated for 1:00 p.m. ET on Monday, Oct. 9.
