2025 CFL Schedule Announced
By Chris Lawton
Finally, the 2025 CFL schedule is here. Fans have been waiting for this moment with bated breath since before Christmas. Why do I say finally? Because for the last few years the CFL have been releasing their coming schedule in the run up to Christmas as a stocking filler talking point for 3 Down Football fans alongside the winter negotiation list, which came out as usual in Mid-December.
As soon as the last play of the Grey Cup has been blown dead each year CFL fans ask the eternal question ‘Is it June yet?’. So, the sense of frustration for those wanting to plan ahead has been palpable. But now it is here, and just what does the 2025 schedule have to offer? Let’s take a look.
2025 - The Year of Fewer Short Turnarounds
A real standout factor in the 2025 CFL schedule is that no teams have to play on a four-day turnaround this season, with no more than two five-day weeks per team. Alongside which, no-one has to face teams coming off a bye more than three times this time around either.
23 of the games will kick off at 4PM local time, or earlier. 44% up on 2024. This is designed to get more families through the turnstiles, but it also benefits CFL fans here in the UK as it means games could be on at more manageable times for us to follow. For example, East Coast games at 4PM would start at 9PM here.
One new feature is the ‘Stampede Bowl’ where the Calgary Stampeders will host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on July the 3rd, just before the week of the Calgary Stampede.
It All Kicks Off On June 5th
WAKE UP 2025 CFL SCHEDULE JUST DROPPED! 🚨
— CFL (@CFL) January 16, 2025
View the full 2025 schedule presented by @redtagca on https://t.co/1mfD1u06kL: https://t.co/qFmc6SDHwT#CFL pic.twitter.com/rRMTXNNRvA
The season is book ended by the prairie rivals, Winnipeg and Saskatchewan as the former will host the 112th Grey Cup, whilst the latter will get the season underway. The first official game of the 2025 season will see the Saskatchewan Roughriders host the Ottawa RedBlacks on June the 5th – the earliest start to a season in Roughriders history. This will be followed on June the 6th as the 2024 champions the Toronto Argonauts face the 2023 champions the Montreal Alouettes in Montreal.
The CFL has already picked out six ‘must see’ games on the schedule, whilst each team has had its own take on their upcoming season with a range of opinions and data to look through as you can see below:
BC Lions schedule release.
Edmonton Elks schedule release.
Calgary Stampeders schedule release.
Saskatchewan Roughriders schedule release.
Winnipeg Blue Bombers schedule release.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats schedule release.
Toronto Argonauts schedule release.
Ottawa RedBlacks schedule release.
Montreal Alouettes schedule release.
It has taken a while, but the 2025 CFL schedule is finally here. Fans can start looking ahead to themed nights, event games, the annual clashes like the Labour Day Classics, Banjo Bowl, Thanksgiving Day classic and more.
The gloom has lifted, the sun is shining on 3 Down Football once more, and fans everywhere are back to asking, ‘Is it June yet?’.

CHRIS LAWTON
CFL ANALYST
Chris originally started following the NFL with the ‘first wave’ of fans when it was shown on Channel 4 in the 1980’s. He has been a keen supporter of the Miami Dolphins since 1983. Chris first encountered the CFL in 2016 and instantly fell in love with the Canadian game. He has been writing about the CFL 2017. Chris has a degree in history, postgraduate degree in librarianship and can be found on twitter as @CFLfanUK