The Ottawa Redblacks will be staying close to home for training camp in 2026 after hosting last year’s even at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont.
“We’re excited to be bringing training camp back to Ottawa in 2026,” said vice-president of football operations Shawn Burke in a statement. “When (head) coach (Ryan) Dinwiddie and I discussed what we felt was best for our 2026 team, we determined being here in Ottawa at TD Place was the ideal scenario.
“The energy and support in our city matter and having camp here allows us to strengthen that bond between the club and the community while giving us the best opportunity to have a successful start to the season.”
The team will open rookie camp on May 6, then get training camp underway on May 10. All but one of the team’s training camp practices will occur at TD Place Stadium and they are each open to the public.
The Ottawa Redblacks were the CFL’s most active team in free agency, adding players like quarterback Jake Maier, running back Greg Bell, offensive lineman Martez Ivey, defensive lineman Habakkuk Baldonado, linebacker A.J. Allen, strong-side linebacker C.J. Reavis, and defensive back Demerio Houston. The team also had a few key departures, including quarterback Dustin Crum (Montreal Alouettes), strong-side linebacker Adarius Pickett (Toronto Argonauts), and return specialist DeVonte Dedmon (Montreal Alouettes).
The Redblacks hold the first overall pick in the 2026 CFL Draft, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m. EDT. All CFL training camps are scheduled to open on May 10. The team will play its first preseason game against the Montreal Alouettes on Friday, May 22 and its first regular-season game against the Edmonton Elks on Saturday, June 6.
In 2025, Ottawa finished fourth in the East Division standings with a 4-14 record, missing the playoffs for the fifth time in the last six seasons. Ryan Dinwiddie was hired as the team’s head coach and general manager after the firing of Bob Dyce.
