CFL Camps Open as Road to the 113th Grey Cup Begins in Calgary

The road to the 113th Grey Cup is officially underway. All nine Canadian Football League teams opened training camp this week, marking the start of a new season that will end in November with the championship game at Calgary's McMahon Stadium. For players, coaches and fans, the opening of camp signals the return of one of the country's most distinctly Canadian sporting traditions.

Each spring, the start of camp resets the league's hopes, with every team able to imagine a path to the championship before a single regular-season snap. This year, the destination is set: a Grey Cup in Calgary that gives the host Stampeders a powerful incentive and adds an extra layer of intrigue to the months ahead.

A new season begins

Training camps opened across the league as teams began the annual process of installing playbooks, evaluating new arrivals and sorting out depth charts. The early days of camp are devoted to fundamentals and scheme, with the focus quickly shifting toward roster competition as the preseason approaches.

The league's preseason schedule is already getting underway, with the first exhibition action featuring a matchup between Montreal and Ottawa. Those games give coaches their first extended look at fringe players competing for roster spots, and they offer fans an early glimpse of how their teams are shaping up after the off-season.

For players on the bubble, the preseason is everything, a brief window to prove they belong before rosters are trimmed. For established starters, it is a chance to build chemistry and shake off the rust of the off-season ahead of a long and demanding campaign.

Calgary's home-field motivation

No team enters camp with more on the line than the Calgary Stampeders. McMahon Stadium will host the 113th Grey Cup in November, giving the Stampeders the rare opportunity to compete for a championship on their own field. The prospect of hoisting the trophy at home has added a charge to Calgary's preparations.

The Stampeders are building on a strong 2025 campaign, and quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. has been central to their optimism. Adams revived Calgary's offence in his first season with the club and was rewarded with a contract extension that runs through 2028, giving the team stability at the most important position on the field.

Hosting a Grey Cup is a double-edged proposition. The energy of a home crowd and the dream of a title on home turf can galvanise a team, but the pressure and distraction of staging the event can also weigh on a roster. Calgary will aim to harness the motivation while keeping its focus on the long season required to reach the final.

Storylines around the league

Beyond Calgary, several teams enter the season with renewed ambitions. In Edmonton, veteran quarterback Cody Fajardo, who signed a contract extension after joining the club, has expressed confidence that the roster is capable of contending for a Grey Cup. Quarterback play and offensive line stability are recurring themes across camps, as teams seek the protection and production that separate contenders from also-rans.

Position battles are unfolding throughout the league, from quarterback depth charts to the trenches, where offensive lines aim to give their passers clean pockets and open lanes for the run game. As camps progress past the installation phase, the emphasis turns to separating starters from depth players and clarifying roles ahead of the regular season.

Each franchise carries its own questions into the season, whether about an unsettled quarterback situation, a rebuilt defence or the integration of new imports. How quickly teams resolve those questions in camp often shapes how they start the year, when early wins and losses can set the tone for a campaign.

The uniquely Canadian game

The CFL remains a fixture of the Canadian sporting calendar, distinguished by its larger field, three-down format and a brand of football that prizes speed and creativity. The league has long served as a proving ground for talent and a source of regional pride, with rivalries that stretch across the country from the Maritimes to the West Coast.

The Grey Cup itself is among the country's signature sporting events, blending championship football with a festival atmosphere that draws fans from across the nation to the host city. Calgary's turn as host adds another chapter to a tradition that has endured for well over a century.

The distinct rules of the Canadian game, including the extra player, the longer and wider field and the single point known as the rouge, give it a character all its own. That distinctiveness is part of the league's identity and a source of pride for fans who value its place in the country's sporting heritage.

What to watch this season

The season ahead will test whether Calgary can convert its home-field motivation into a deep playoff run, and whether challengers across the league can assemble the quarterback play and depth required to contend. Coaching adjustments, new signings and the health of key players will all shape the race over the months to come.

For perennial contenders and rebuilding clubs alike, the long grind from training camp to November offers ample time for storylines to develop. The opening of camp is only the first step, but it sets the stage for a season that will conclude with a championship on Calgary soil.

Injuries, momentum and the unpredictable bounces of a long season will inevitably reshape expectations between now and November. The teams that manage adversity best, while developing depth and chemistry, tend to be the ones still standing when the championship arrives.

The business of the league

The CFL continues to navigate the broader challenges facing professional sports leagues, from competition for fan attention to the economics of running franchises in a range of market sizes. A successful, well-attended Grey Cup in a major market like Calgary can provide a boost, both financially and in terms of national profile.

The league's enduring appeal rests on its deep roots in Canadian communities and its distinct identity within the broader football landscape. As a new season begins, the CFL aims to build on that foundation and deliver a campaign that culminates in a memorable championship.

Connecting with a new generation of fans

Like many established sports leagues, the CFL is working to broaden its appeal to younger audiences while retaining the loyal supporters who have followed it for decades. That effort spans the fan experience at the stadium, the league's digital and broadcast presence, and the cultivation of stars whose personalities can draw new viewers to the game. The balance between honouring tradition and modernising the product is a constant theme.

The league's distinct character remains one of its strongest assets in that pursuit. The wide-open, high-scoring style of Canadian football offers an entertaining contrast to other versions of the game, and the deep community roots of its franchises give the league a sense of place that resonates in its markets. Those qualities are central to how the CFL positions itself in a crowded sporting landscape.

Player development is another pillar of the league's long-term health. The CFL has long served as a stage for Canadian talent and a proving ground for players pursuing professional careers, and the pipeline of homegrown athletes is vital to its identity. Roster rules that ensure a place for Canadian players reinforce that connection between the league and the country it represents.

The Grey Cup remains the league's marquee showcase, an event that transcends the sport to become a national celebration. Hosting it in a major market like Calgary offers a chance to capture broad attention, drawing in casual fans alongside the dedicated faithful and reinforcing the championship's place in the country's cultural calendar.

As the season opens, the league will be hoping that competitive races, compelling storylines and a successful championship combine to build momentum. The fortunes of the CFL rest not only on what happens on the field but on its ability to keep drawing Canadians to a game that has been part of the national fabric for generations.

Contenders and questions across the divisions

As the season opens, the balance of power across the league remains a subject of debate. The Calgary Stampeders enter with the added motivation of a home Grey Cup, but they are far from the only team with championship ambitions. Established contenders and clubs hoping to take a step forward will all be jockeying for position as the regular season unfolds, and early results will begin to clarify the picture.

Quarterback play, as ever, will be the great differentiator. The teams with stability and production at the position tend to rise to the top, while those wrestling with uncertainty under centre often struggle to keep pace. Several clubs enter the year with questions to resolve there, and how quickly they find answers could define their seasons.

Depth and durability matter just as much over a long campaign. Injuries are inevitable, and the teams that have built sufficient depth to absorb them are best positioned to remain in contention deep into the schedule. Training camp is where that depth is assessed, as coaches identify the players who can be relied upon when the inevitable attrition sets in.

The competitive landscape will also be shaped by coaching, scheme and the integration of new talent. Each off-season brings roster turnover and tactical adjustments, and the teams that adapt most effectively often gain an early edge. As camps give way to the regular season, the contours of the race for the Grey Cup will gradually come into focus.

What's next

The coming weeks will see camps give way to preseason games and, ultimately, the start of the regular season. Roster cuts will trim each team to its final group, and the early-season schedule will begin to reveal which clubs are genuine contenders.

For now, the focus is on the fundamentals of camp and the optimism that accompanies every fresh start. Nine teams begin the journey, but only one will finish it by lifting the Grey Cup in Calgary in November, and the Stampeders will be determined to make sure the celebration happens on home ground.