What Is the CFL? Your Complete Guide
Your complete guide to the Canadian Football League — three downs, twelve players a side, and the historic chase for the Grey Cup.
What is the CFL?
The Canadian Football League (CFL) is a 9-team professional Canadian football league. Founded in its modern form in 1958, the league's championship — the Grey Cup — has been contested since 1909, making it one of the oldest continuously-awarded trophies in North American sports. The CFL plays a distinct three-down, twelve-a-side game on a longer and wider field than the NFL, producing wide-open, pass-happy football that's uniquely Canadian.
Each team plays an 18-game regular season from mid-June through early November, before the Eastern and Western Finals lead into the Grey Cup.
The 9 Teams
How the Season Works
18
Regular Season Games
6
Teams Make Playoffs
1
Grey Cup Champion
The season runs from mid-June through early November. Three teams from each division qualify for the playoffs. The first-place team in each division gets a bye to the Division Final; the second and third teams meet in a Semi-Final. Division Final winners advance to the Grey Cup. Check the full schedule and standings.
What Makes CFL Football Different
Three Downs
Teams have three downs to gain 10 yards rather than the four downs used in American football. The shorter set keeps the game moving and forces creative play-calling.
12 Players Per Side
CFL teams field 12 players per side, one more than the NFL — typically an extra back in the offensive backfield.
110-Yard Field
The CFL field is 110 yards long between goal lines (plus 20-yard end zones), 65 yards wide, with hash marks set 24 yards from each sideline.
20-Second Play Clock
After the ball is spotted and the referee whistles play in, the offence has just 20 seconds to snap the ball — one of the fastest play clocks in pro football.
Unlimited Pre-Snap Motion
Backs and receivers can move forward toward the line of scrimmage before the snap. This opens up motion-heavy offences not legal in the NFL.
The Single (Rouge)
If a team kicks the ball into the end zone and the receiving team doesn't return it out, the kicking team is awarded one point — known as the rouge or single.
No Fair Catch
Punt and kickoff returners must field the ball with a 5-yard cushion, but cannot signal for a fair catch — every kick is live.
Where to Watch
All CFL games air on TSN in Canada (with French-language coverage on RDS) and CBS Sports Network in the United States. Select games stream on TSN+ and CBS Sports streaming platforms.