The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have been named as hosts for the 112th Grey Cup, according to a new report from the Canadian Press.
The CFL has not yet made an official announcement regarding the location of their championship game in 2025, but an agreement is in place for it to be played in the Manitoba capital. The 2023 Grey Cup game will take place in Hamilton, while the 2024 game has been awarded to Vancouver.
Winnipeg has hosted the Grey Cup just four times in league history. The last came in 2015 when the Edmonton Football Team defeated the Ottawa Redblacks 26-20 in front of 36,364 fans at IG Field. Previous games in 1991, 1998 and 2006 were hosted at Canad Inns Stadium.
The Blue Bombers have participated in the last three Grey Cup games, winning back-to-back championships in 2019 and 2021. Winnipeg overtook Saskatchewan for the league attendance crown in 2022, averaging 28,641 fans per home game.
The Manitoba government recently pledged $5.5 million in support of the Bombers’ Grey Cup bid. The province believes that hosting the Grey Cup would boost economic activities by over $90 million, including $8.2 million in provincial tax revenues.
A study conducted by Sport Tourism Canada indicated that last year’s Grey Cup in Hamilton generated $35 million in economic impact in Ontario despite many of the large indoor events leading up to the game being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The province of Ontario committed $3 million in financial support for Hamilton to host the 2021 and 2023 Grey Cups.
