Hello football fans. The CFL has finally come to fruition, with opening day on Thursday, June 4th, 2026, which saw Montreal defeat Hamilton on the road in a thrilling 30-27 win. On Friday, Winnipeg and Calgary squared off in a Western Division battle with the Bombers edging the Stampeders 30-28. Week 1 ended on Saturday with Edmonton winning their season opener in Ottawa in a 29-21 victory on a rainy day in the Nation’s Capital. The BC Lions, Saskatchewan Roughriders, and the Toronto Argonauts began the 2026 on a bye in week 1.
Hello CFL Fans! Here are your CFL News Hub Power Rankings – the Aftermath of Week 1.
1 – Saskatchewan Roughriders
Record: 0 – 0
The defending Grey Cup Champions were on a bye week. They now have the difficult task for the duration of the 2026 CFL season in defending their crown.
Next game: Saturday, June 13th, 2026, vs. BC.
2 – BC Lions
Record: 0 - 0
Another team that began the season on a bye week. The Leos have a perfect matchup on record against the squad that halted their chances of playing in a Grey Cup in 2025. The Lions have a squad like other teams on record of having a legitimate chance of winning the ultimate prize. To add more salt to the wound, BC has a big chip on their shoulders with the result of last season's Western Division Final that saw Tommy Neild drop a pass in the endzone with 11 seconds left in the game. The video review board saw otherwise, awarding Saskatchewan the touchdown.
Next game: Saturday, June 13th, 2026, in Saskatchewan.
3 – Montreal Alouettes
Record: 1 – 0
The Montreal Alouettes arrived back at Hamilton Stadium with the same result as they left off last season when they played the tabbies in the East Division Final. Once again, Montreal walked away with the win. The game played out as many fans expected. No blowout win, but rather a typical grind-out of a fashion slug fest. Davis Alexander had a great game with 26 pass completions, 336 passing yards, and 2 touchdown passes. Tyler Snead tore up the Hamilton secondary with 163 receiving yards and 1 touchdown.
Next game: Friday, June 12th, 2026, vs. Toronto.
4 – Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Record: 1 – 0
For a team that looked like they were letting the game slip away, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers were resilient. At halftime, with Calgary up 21-16, the Winnipeg defence came up big to secure a 30-28 win. Winnipeg shut the door, allowing a lone Calgary touchdown in the 4th quarter.
Next game: Thursday, June 11th, 2026, vs. Hamilton.
Record: 0 – 1
It was a game that could have gone either way when Calgary squared off with Winnipeg. The offence did enough to win this game. However, it was the timing of the scoring. Calgary was unable to score any points in both the 1st and 3rd quarters of the game. In the 2nd quarter, Calgary came up with 21 points and looked like they were in the driver’s seat. This was an opportunity lost.
Next game: The Stampeders will be on a bye in week 2. Their next scheduled game will be on Saturday, June 20th, 2026, vs. Saskatchewan.
6 – Hamilton Tiger – Cats
Record: 0 – 1
This is now back-to-back losses for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats vs. the same opponent on their home soil. Last year in the East Semi-Final, it was the Alouettes that stunned the Hamilton crowd with a 19-16 win on a walk-off field goal to seal the deal. It was similar in nature for Hamilton, although it was a better overall offensive performance. It has been a mental block for Hamilton for quite a few years now. Simply put, they cannot close games in big moments. It is an area they have not addressed in regular-season games, playoffs, or past Grey Cup appearances in the same outcomes. For the 2026 season, it could be another opportunity lost; with an abundance of talent on their roster, if the roller coaster ride works against their favour.
Next game: Thursday, June 11th, 2026, in Winnipeg.
7 – Edmonton Elks
Record: 1 – 0
The setting of this game was as perfect as it gets when both Edmonton and Ottawa squared off to a certain extent. Both teams have similar win–loss totals over the last 7 seasons. For Edmonton, they finally won an opening game for the first time since 2019. The Edmonton defence played an exertional game, owning the line of scrimmage, creating a lot of pressure in the Ottawa backfield. The rain was a menace for both Ottawa and Edmonton during the game, mainly in the 1st half. There were a lot of bad passes and dropped passes during any momentum swing. It took a while for Edmonton to take control of the game offensively, led by none other than Justin Rankin, who carried the team on his back when they needed it most. Rankin exploded with 102 yards rushing and 1 touchdown, followed by 94 receiving yards.
Next game: The Elks will be on a bye in week 2. Their next game will be on Saturday, June 20th, 2026, vs. Montreal.
8 – Toronto Argonauts
Record: 0-0
The Toronto Argonauts had a bye in week 1. They will take one of the league's best in Montreal. Toronto will have its hands full in week 2. Two questions for the Argos this season. How effective will Chad Kelly be after a little more than a year's absence? How good will the running game be? The Argonauts do have at least on record the thinnest running back depth in the CFL.
Next game: Friday, June 12th, 2026, in Montreal.
9 – Ottawa Redblacks
Record: 0-0
Many football fans thought they were witnessing signs of both teams showcasing their improved squads on paper. Ottawa looked very sloppy moving the ball. The offensive line was pushed around for a good part of the 1st half. Somehow, someway, they were still in the game heading into the 4th quarter. The Ottawa defence did all they could to hold Edmonton off on five occasions, resulting in Edmonton kicking 5 field goals. Ottawa lost this game due to a lack of offensive stability.
Next game: Ottawa will be on bye in week 2. Their next scheduled game will be on Saturday, June 20th, 2026, vs. Toronto.