What is the Grey Cup?
The championship of Canadian football, and one of the oldest trophies in North American sport. Donated by Earl Grey, then Governor General of Canada, it was first contested on 4 December 1909, when Toronto Varsity beat the Toronto Parkdale Canoe Club 26–6 for the amateur rugby-football championship. The CFL has been its trustee since 1966, and the game is now a single match between the East and West Division playoff winners.[1] [2]
| Season | Pool / Format | Host cities |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Saskatchewan Roughriders (25–17 v Montréal) | 112th — Winnipeg, Princess Auto Stadium |
| 2024 | Toronto Argonauts (41–24 v Winnipeg) | 111th — Vancouver, BC Place |
| 2023 | Montréal Alouettes | 110th — Hamilton |
| 2022 | Toronto Argonauts | 109th — Regina, Mosaic Stadium |
| 2021 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 108th — Hamilton, Tim Hortons Field |
| 2026 | — scheduled | 113th — Calgary, McMahon Stadium, 15 November |
Recent Grey Cups — champion, edition number and host city.[4]
How do teams qualify?
Six of the league's nine teams reach the playoffs — the top three in each division, with the crossover rule letting a fourth-placed team from one division take the third seed in the other if its record is better, so the six best records generally get in. Three rounds follow: division semi-final, division final, Grey Cup. The host city is awarded years in advance and is independent of who qualifies.[1] [3]
From 2027 the format widens: the CFL announced in June 2026 that eight of nine teams will make a four-round playoff, with the season starting two weeks earlier.[2]
Why does it matter?
Because it is Canada's national sporting occasion — a week-long festival in the host city, and the season's decisive game in a league whose rules, field and three-down structure are distinct from the American game. The 2025 win gave Saskatchewan a fifth Grey Cup and its first since 2013, with Trevor Harris named game MVP; a new six-year broadcast agreement from 2027 is the richest in league history.[2] [3]
References
- CFL — official site. Accessed August 2026.
- CFL — Riders take down Alouettes to win the 112th Grey Cup. Accessed August 2026.
- CFL — the 113th Grey Cup in Calgary. Accessed August 2026.
- Canadian Football Hall of Fame — Grey Cup winners. Accessed August 2026.