No Pride, No Prejudice. Just Selecting A Partner For CFL Ball

By Chris Lawton

A guide to picking your CFL team, ready for the 2026 season.

A guide to picking your CFL team, ready for the 2026 season.

“It is a truth universally acknowledged,” wrote Jane Austen in Pride and Prejudice, “that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” Might this writer humbly suggest a modern amendment: that a football fan in possession of a good television or streaming service, must be in want of a summer sport.

Because here is the thing. Every year, as the confetti settles on the Super Bowl and the long, yawning months stretch out between now and the NFL’s return, millions of fans find themselves at a loose end. College football is awaiting Autumn before being lifted from its offseason slumber. The draft comes and goes. Training camp feels an age away. And yet, just to the north, something wonderful is already stirring.

The Canadian Football League is, for many NFL fans, a kind of Mr Darcy. Your first impression may not be entirely favourable. It looks familiar and yet not quite right. Three downs instead of four. A wider field. The mysteries of the Rouge. You may find yourself, like Elizabeth Bennet at that first Netherfield ball, a little too quick to judge. A little too ready to dismiss.

But those who persevere, who look beyond first impressions and give the game a genuine chance, tend to find something joyously unexpected. Not a pale imitation of the NFL, but a league with its own distinct character, its own rich history, and its own cast of compelling teams and exceptional talents to fall in love with.

Which brings us to the question at hand. There are nine teams in the CFL, spread across two divisions, from the Pacific coast of British Columbia to the historic streets of Montreal. Each one has a story. Each one has a community. And the CFL community is very welcoming. Somewhere among them, there is very likely a team for you.

Consider this your introduction to Netherfield. Come in, look around, keep an open mind and let’s find out which team might just have the honour of making your acquaintance.

The Teams, And Why They Could Be For You...

We like to invite you to the 3-down ball (games) on an annual basis here at Touchdown Towers CFL Wing. And we always start with the Division that houses the current CFL champion. Whilst last year that meant we started in the East, this year the nod goes to the West as the Saskatchewan Roughriders won their 5th ever Grey Cup title in 2025.

WEST DIVISION

There are 9 teams in the CFL currently: 5 in the West Division and 4 in the East Division. We will start in the West, as that is the home of the reigning champions.

Saskatchewan Roughriders

2025 – 12-6, first in the West Division, Grey Cup Champions.

Based in Regina, Saskatchewan, the Roughriders were founded in 1910. Saskatchewan are one of the community-owned teams in the league. They are the 3rd oldest pro football team in existence, behind the Arizona Cardinals and the CFL’s own Argonauts. 

More Rider merchandise is sold than any other sports team in Canada, with the exception of the Toronto Maple Leafs & Montreal Canadiens. If we were to overextend the Pride and Prejudice analogy a little, then perhaps we might see the Roughriders as Mr Darcy; initially, you might overlook them (they’re in Regina, not Canada’s most glamorous city), but once you look closer, there’s enormous depth, passion and loyalty. First impressions can mislead you.

Saskatchewan has a rabid fan base that has a tradition all of its own – the carved-out watermelon worn on their heads! You will often find someone in a ‘Rider jersey in just about any sports crowd, and not just at the CFL games.

I believe they have the largest fan base in the CFL. Invariably, if somebody goes on social media & decides to support a team based on how many responses they get from each franchise’s fans, they will end up supporting Saskatchewan!

The Roughriders have an all-time regular-season record of 635-655-24. They have appeared in the Grey Cup on 20 occasions and won it 5 times. They last won it all in 2025.

Current Head Coach Corey Mace had his first year in charge in Saskatchewan in 2024, and following back-to-back 6-12 seasons, he got them back on track with a 9-8-1 season and came within one game of taking them to the Grey Cup that year before winning it all in his second season in charge.

They are quarterbacked by Trevor Harris who came to the Roughriders in 2023 to provide the veteran guidance they needed to make it to the Grey Cup. Harris completed 23 of 27 passes for 302 yards and a Grey Cup-record 85.2 completion percentage as the Roughriders won 25–17, marking Harris’s first Grey Cup win as a starter last year. He was named Grey Cup MVP. Harris has signed for another season, bringing back his experience and almost 38,000 career yards passing and over 200 career touchdowns. The main concern will be keeping him healthy and also thinking about looking to the future.

First Grey Cup Win: 1966. Last Grey Cup Win: 2025.

Colours: Green and white. Mascot: Gainer the Gopher

Team Website: riderville.com 

Suggested podcast: Piffles Podcast

BC Lions

2025 –11-7 Beaten in West Division Final.

Based in British Columbia, Vancouver the Lions were established in 1954. The BC Lions fan-base is one of the smaller ones alongside Toronto and Montreal. However, relatively new team owner Amar Doman has been hard at work improving that. Getting big names in to perform a min concert for the season openers, like Snoop Dog last year, has become something of a tradition under his stewardship.

Vancouver is one of the few CFL cities with an NHL team, an MLS team, and a sizable NFL fan-base. According to fan forums the most popular NFL team in Vancouver is the Seahawks by some margin, but that doesn’t mean they don’t support BC too.

The Leos have an all-time regular season record of 593-593-24. They have appeared in the Grey Cup 10 times and won it on 6 occasions. 

Throughout this century the Lions have been consistently competitive without ever achieving dominance.

Current Head Coach Buck Pierce arrived from the Blue Bombers as a rookie Head Coach last year. He is a three-time Grey Cup champion, having won twice as an assistant Coach with Winnipeg, and once as a player with the Lions back in 2006. In his first season he had them on the doorstep of the Grey Cup before Saskatchewan won the West Final at the death. The Leos have been to the West Final three of the last four years and will want to take that next step into the big game sooner rather than later.

They are quarterbacked by Nathan Rourke. He is the reigning CFL MOP. Dubbed Kid Canada or sometimes Captain Canada, he is the current face of the league and perhaps the most dominant Canadian QB since the legendary Russ Jackson. Rourke made his debut with the Lions in 2021 and returned after an NFL sojourn to compete for the starting job in 2024. Last year he had the third-highest passing yards in a single season in Lions history as well as being named a CFL All-Star for the first time in his career, while also winning both the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian Award and the MOP award. The current poster boy for the league is not a fan of the coming rule changes. Rourke has over 11,000 yards passing in just 50 games and 63 touchdowns to his name.

First Grey Cup Win: 1964. Last Grey Cup Win: 2011.

Colours: Orange, black and white. Mascot: Leo the Lion

Team Website: bclions.com 

Suggested podcast: 1standnow – do also check out the Lions’ produced series Arrow Up.

Calgary Stampeders

2025 – 11-7 third in the West Division and lost to the Lions in the West Semi-Final of the playoffs.

Based in Calgary, Alberta, the Stampeders were founded in 1945, although they are part of a football tradition in the city that dates to 1909.

Like the idea of an unbeaten team? Perhaps the Stamps are the right call for you. In 1948, the Stampeders became only the second Western Division team to win the Grey Cup. That year, including playoffs, they finished 14-0-1, and to this day the ’48 Stamps remain the only undefeated team in CFL history.

Formerly community-owned, following financial difficulties, they were put into private hands in 1991 and have been privately owned since.

Before Winnipeg rose to the top, the Stamps were the most dominant team in recent CFL history. They appeared in the playoffs 18 years in a row. From 2012-2018, they appeared in 7 consecutive Western Finals and won 5 of them and therefore appeared in 5 Grey Cup games. They had last had a losing season in 2007 before going 6-12 in 2023 and 5-12-1 in 2024.

Had they had a winning season in 2023, they would have become the first CFL team ever to have a record above .500 for 15 consecutive seasons. It wasn’t to be.

The Stampeders have an all-time regular-season record of 715-575-22. They have appeared in 17 Grey Cup games and won it all on 8 occasions.

Current Head Coach Dave Dickenson is in the Hall of Fame as a player and will be in his tenth season as Head Coach of the Stamps. He has amassed a 95-60- 3 regular season record at the helm, as well as having a 4-7 playoff record, which includes three Grey Cup appearances (2016-2018) with one victory coming in 2018.

They are quarterbacked by Vernon Adams Jr. The man that Copper Kupp believes embodies the spirit of the Seahawks Super Bowl-winning team has been in the CFL since 2016. Everywhere he has been he has had some success but found himself getting replaced. Calgary brought him in to be their guy and he has responded well. Adams Jr has over 20,000 yards passing and 117 touchdowns to his name in the CFL.

First Grey Cup Win: 1948. Their last Grey Cup Win 2018.

Colours: Red, white and black. Mascot: Ralph the Dog

Team Website: stampeders.com 

Suggested podcast: Horse Power podcast

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

2025: 10-8 fourth in the West Division, lost in the East Semi-Final to the Alouettes.

If one of the most consistently successful squads of the last few years is the right call for you, then that may be the Blue Bombers. The Bombers are based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Founded in 1930, they are a community-owned team, and ‘Big Blue’ have a very loyal fan base.

Perhaps the most recognisable name from their coaching history for NFL fans would be that of Bud Grant, who won 4 Grey Cups. Before famously going on to lose 4 Superbowl’s, coaching the Vikings. He and Marv Levy, (Bills and Alouettes), are the only coaches to be in both the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Winnipeg has an all-time regular season record of 723-643-15. They have appeared in the Grey Cup 29 times and won it on 12 occasions.

As recently as 2015, the Blue Bombers were enduring a 5-13 season. Part of a four-year 21-51 run. Not to mention not having won a Grey Cup since 1990. However, until last year, they had become the team to beat in the West. Winning the Grey Cup in 2019 & 2021, as well as appearing in five consecutive Grey Cup games.

Current Head Coach Mike O’Shea (a CFL Hall of Famer as a player) is the winningest coach in Blue Bombers history with a 117-77 record. He took Winnipeg to five consecutive Grey Cup games and is 2-3 in those games. Winnipeg have also made the playoffs nine consecutive times on his watch now.

They are quarterbacked by Zach Collaros. Collaros was the league MOP in 2021 and 2022 as well as the Grey Cup MVP in 2021. He has been in the league since 2012, and at one point it looked like concussions might end his career. He signed for Winnipeg in 2019 and is arguably the catalyst for all the success they have enjoyed since then. He has over 35,000 career yards passing and 216 touchdowns and brings a great deal of veteran savvy to the Blue Bombers.

First Grey Cup Win: 1935. Last Grey Cup Win: 2021.

Colours: Royal blue, gold and white. Mascot(s): Buzz and Boomer

Team Website: bluebombers.com 

Suggested podcast: Ray & Benny Talk Sports

Edmonton Elks

2025 – 7-11 Last in the West Division. Failed to Qualify for the playoffs.

Based in Edmonton, Alberta, the Elks were founded in 1949. For much of that time, they were known as the Eskimos. Edmonton announced its name rebrand in 2021. The rebrand has been generally well-received although inevitably caused some controversy with older fans.

They are a community-owned team with a loyal fan base. Their colour and uniform choice was decided for them as they started out with hand-me-down uniforms from the University of Alberta Golden Bears.

NFL fans will probably recognise the name Warren Moon, who helped lead them to 5 straight championships from 1978-82. Moon is the only player ever to be named to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Edmonton has an all-time regular season record of 710-556-18. They have appeared in the Grey Cup 23 times and won it on 14 occasions. They last won it all in 2015.

Edmonton hold the distinction for the longest run of making the playoffs for any North American sports team – an incredible 34 years between 1972 and 2005.

Current Head Coach Mark Kilam was a rookie Head Coach last season. He is a three-time Grey Cup champion from his time as an assistant Coach with the Stampeders. Whilst the Elks finished last in their division again, there were signs of optimism beginning to show. They last had a winning season in 2017, so their fans are more than ready to see success return.

They are quarterbacked by Cody Fajardo, who was the MVP of the Grey Cup in 2023. Fajardo has been in the league since 2016. After being a backup in Toronto and BC, he broke through as the starter for Saskatchewan in 2019. After moving from there to Montreal, he delivered a Grey Cup win before moving on to Edmonton in 2025. He has over 21,000 yards passing and 97 touchdowns in league play.

First Grey Cup Win: 1954. Their Last Grey Cup win was in 2015.

Colours: Green, gold & white. Mascot(s): Spike & Punter

Team Website: esks.com 

Suggested podcast: The Turf District Podcast

EAST DIVISION

There are 4 teams in the East Division. Since 2016, three of them have won the Grey Cup 5 times in 9 attempts, whilst one has appeared in the Grey Cup twice in the same period but hasn’t won it since 1999.

There are 4 teams in the East Division. Since 2016, three of them have won the Grey Cup 5 times in 9 attempts, whilst one has appeared in the Grey Cup twice in the same period but hasn’t won it since 1999.

Hamilton Tiger Cats

2025 – 11-7 Lost in the East Division Final.

Based in Hamilton, Ontario, the Tiger-Cats were founded in 1950 because of a merger between the Hamilton Tigers (1861) and Hamilton Wild-Cats (1941). Those early post-merger Tiger-Cats were successful, as the team finished first or second in every year from 1950 to 1953.

While the Tiger-Cats were only founded in 1950, as we have seen, football in Hamilton goes back much further than that. In fact, Hamilton has one of the oldest traditions of football in the country. Hamilton and Toronto have been playing each other in one form or another since 1873, although those early games bear little to no relation to what we see now!

Hamilton has an all-time regular-season record of 585-616-17. Between 2019 and 2021, they went 23-9 but came up short in the Grey Cup game both times. They have appeared in 22 Grey Cup games since 1950, winning 8 times. Hamilton has the longest current run of any CFL team without a title, having last won in 1999.

Current Ticats Head Coach Scott Milanovich was appointed in 2024 and is 18-18 as the sideline leader of the Tabbies. Previously, from 2012-2016, he coached the Argonauts, winning the 2012 Grey Cup and posting an overall record of 43-47.

They are quarterbacked by Bo Levi Mitchell. He started his career in Calgary and with them was a two-time Grey Cup champion and game MVP (in 2014 and 2018), as well as being named league MOP in 2016 and 2018. He was voted to the CFL 2010s all-decade team. Mitchell came to Hamilton with a long list of successes but struggled early on due to injury. For the past two seasons, however, he has led the league in passing and looks like his old self again. Mitchell has thrown for over 44,000 career yards and has 262 touchdowns to his name.

First Grey Cup Win: 1953.  Last Grey Cup win: 1999.

Colours: Black, gold and white. Mascot(s): Tc & Stripes as well as crowd hyper Pigskin Pete.

Team Website: ticats.ca 

Suggested podcast: Podskee Wee Wee

Montreal Alouettes

2025 – 10-8 Beaten in the Grey Cup.

Based in Montreal, Quebec, the Montreal Alouettes were founded in 1946, though the team has folded and been revived twice. The league considers all the iterations of the Alouettes as one club dating back to their founding. While the Alouettes were originally founded in 1946, the city has a much longer history with the sport, dating back to 1872. That was when the Montreal Football Club was founded.

The Alouettes got off to a blistering start to their existence, going 28-18-2 over their first four seasons and winning their first Grey Cup in 1949. The Als have an all-time regular-season record of 549-533-22.

For anybody who is wondering, Montreal is predominantly French-speaking, and Alouette is French for Lark.

Under current Head Coach Jason Maas, the Alouettes are 33-20-1 and have appeared in back-to-back-to-back East Division Finals. In the playoffs at the same time, they are 5-2 and won the Grey Cup in 2023, as well as being runners-up last year.

They are quarterbacked by Davis Alexander. Starting out he backed up a variety of QB’s in Montreal, including Vernon Adams Jr, Trevor Harris and Cody Fajardo. In 2023 he dressed for all games but as the third string choice. Part way through the 2024 season he moved to a backup role. After Fajardo was traded to Edmonton and Alexander signed an extension with the Als he became the de facto starter in Montreal. Between gaps for injury he set a new CFL record in 24-25 by winning his first nine games as a starter. This was extended to 11 wins before season end and his first defeat came in the Grey Cup, for which he was carrying an injury. He finished the 2025 regular season having started in seven games, completing 158 of 218 attempts for 2,024 yards, ten touchdown passes and three interceptions. He has 3,516 career passing yards and 16 touchdowns.

First Grey Cup win: 1949. Last Grey Cup win: 2023.

Colours: Blue, red and white. Mascot: Touché

Team Website: montrealalouettes.com 

Suggested podcast: Alouettes Flightdeck

Toronto Argonauts

2025: 5-13 Third in the East Division.

The 2024 Grey Cup champions fell from grace last year as the Toronto Argonauts won only half of the games they did the year before.

Based in Toronto, Ontario, the double blue are North America’s oldest continually playing professional football team. In fact, as they were founded in 1873, they are the oldest existing pro sports team in North America still using its original name. Not to mention the oldest-surviving team in the modern-day CFL.

The Boatmen have an all-time regular-season record of 694-741-26. Prior to the 2025 season, under former head Coach Ryan Dinwiddie, they had gone 46-22 in the regular season, winning the East Division three times and playing in four consecutive East Division Finals. Over the same period, they were 5-2 in the playoffs, picking up two Grey Cup wins in 2022 and 2024.

Toronto have appeared in 25 Grey Cup games, winning 19. They have the highest number of Grey Cup wins of any CFL team.

Current Head Coach Mike Miller will be a rookie leader in 2026. He has coached in a variety of roles in the NFL, CFL, XFL and in college.

Their quarterback position has been a little up in the air of late. The Argos’ depth chart shows Chad Kelly as the starter. He missed the entire 2025 season with a fractured leg, just one year removed from winning the Grey Cup in 2024, and another year from being league MOP in 2023. You can’t brush over with Kelly that the CFL suspended him for at least nine games after an investigation into allegations made against him at the Argonauts by a female former strength and conditioning coach. He was reinstated by the CFL on a “last-chance agreement” that requires him to follow a collection of confidential conditions. He later fractured is leg and, despite having a recovery schedule of six months, sat out the 2023 Grey Cup and 2024 season. Backup Nick Arbuckle had the dream Grey Cup in 2024, leading the Argos to the title and being named MVP. Then being one of the bright spots of Toronto’s 2025 campaign, whilst having his best statistical year in the league.

Kelly has 6,848 yards passing and 35 touchdowns in the CFL, whilst Arbuckle has 12,325 career yards and 53 touchdowns in the CFL.

 

First Grey Cup Win: 1914. Last Grey Cup Win: 2024.

Colours: Cambridge Blue, Oxford Blue and white. Mascot: Jason

Team Website: argonauts.ca 

Suggested podcast Xs and Argos Podcast

To keep the Pride and Prejudice theme alive, the Toronto Argonauts could be seen as the Bennet family. The establishment if you will. The oldest, most decorated, the one everyone is expected to know about.

Ottawa RedBlacks

2025 – 4-14 Last in the East Division.

Based in Ottawa, Ontario, the RedBlacks were founded as recently as 2014. This is a little misleading for new fans as there has been a team in Ottawa, on and off since 1876.

The Ottawa Rough Riders were a founder member of the CFL and played up until 1996. An Ottawa Renegades team lasted only from 2002 to 2005. Akin to the situation with Montreal, some Ottawans see this team as the continuation of their former representatives. But the team themselves have recently had an all-decade team celebration.

The RedBlacks name came from a fan competition and is copyrighted in both English and French (Rouge et Noir).

This Ottawa team has an all-time regular season record of 68-123-3. Which is a little misleading as they went 2-16 in 2014, but the real balance of their down years was from 2019 to 2023 where they never got above 4 wins in a season and went 14-54. Happily for Ottawa fans in 2024 they were more competitive and made the playoffs for the first time in five seasons. Sadly, it didn’t last and they fell back to a another 4 win season last year.

From 2015-2018 they went 39-31-2 in the regular season and 3-1 in the playoffs. This includes 3 East Division titles, 3 Grey Cup appearances and 1 championship win.

Current Head Coach Ryan Dinwiddie was appointed before the season and is taking on a Coach and GM role. Dinwiddie previously coached the Argonauts from 2021 to 2025, recording a 51-35 record. Winning three East Division titles and going 5-2 in the playoffs including 2 Grey Cup wins.

They are quarterbacked by Dru Brown. Brown was a backup with the Ble Bombers until signing for Ottawa prior to the 2024 season. Leading the RedBlacks has been his first starting role in the league. When he has played, he has definitely ignited the passing game, but he has been far too prone to injury. That missed playing time has led to him signing a more team friendly restructured contract. Brown will be hoping the collaboration with Dinwiddie will pay off as the latter has a good record of getting the best out of quarterbacks. Brown has 7,832 career yards passing and 46 touchdowns in the CFL.

First Grey Cup win: 2016.  Last Grey Cup win: 2016. 

(Of course, if you do accept all the Ottawa teams as one non-continuous entity, like Montreal, then their first Grey Cup win came in 1925 as the Ottawa Senators).

Colours: Red, black and white. Mascot: Big Joe

Team Website: ottawaredblacks.com 

Suggested podcast: There’s nothing current here, Muchoir was great but their last episode was in 2023; So I suggest listening to the 2 and Out CFL podcast.  

Conclusion

And so, like Elizabeth Bennet closing the final pages of a letter that has quite changed her understanding of things, you find yourself at the end of these introductions with a decision to make. Nine teams. Nine stories. Nine communities who would be very glad of your company on a summer evening.

Perhaps one has already caught your eye. Perhaps, like our heroine, you found your opinion shifting somewhere along the way. A team you initially dismissed now lingering in your thoughts rather more than you expected. That is rather the point. The CFL has a habit of doing that to people.

The choice, as ever, is yours. But may I gently suggest that wherever you land, you give it a full season? Attend the ball (games), so to speak. Because in my experience, those who show up with an open mind and a willingness to be surprised rarely find themselves disappointed. And unlike poor Mr Darcy, the CFL will never make you wait too long for the next chapter. Because before you know it, June will be here, and the whole wonderful thing starts all over again.

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

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