While it can’t compete with the NFL in terms of money, fan support or even player talent, the Canadian Football League has set itself apart from other gridiron football leagues with its uniquely Canadian rules: three downs, a 110-yard field, 12 players, pre-snap motion, single points and exciting kick return plays.

Some of that uniquely Canadian identity will disappear over the next two seasons, and not everyone is happy about it.

Calling it the next step in its evolution, the CFL is embarking on a series of “bold and strategic changes designed to elevate the action, enhance the viewer experience and position the league for the future,” according to a league video outlining the rule changes.

What are the new rules coming to the CFL in 2026?

Starting in the 2026 season, the league will no longer award a single point, or rouge, when a missed field goal, kickoff or punt goes through the end zone untouched.

Under the new modified rouge rule, if a punt, kickoff or missed field goal settles in the end zone and the returner fails to bring it out or takes a knee, a single point will still be awarded.

The change eliminates games being decided by a missed field goal, punt or kickoff through the end zone.

As a longtime CFL fan, I support this change. Eliminating the rouge on kicks that can’t be returned adds excitement to the kick return game and incentivizes teams for keeping the ball in play.

What I can’t support is moving the goalposts to the back of the end zone, which I will discuss later.

Also in 2026, all teams will be required to have their bench areas on opposite sides of the field, eliminating cases where some players are required to run 50 to 60 yards for substitutions. Some stadiums currently feature benches on opposite sides, while others are side by side.

Also next season, the league will replace its current 20-second play clock with a 35-second clock that resets automatically once the previous play is whistled dead. Currently, the 20-second play clock does not start until manually initiated by an official. The league says the change eliminates inconsistencies in timing caused by teams getting set at their own pace.

The league says the revised play clock aims to instil a sense of urgency in players to speed up the game.

Big changes: How the field and goalposts will change in 2027

The big changes, and perhaps the most contentious, come in 2027, when the length of the field shrinks and the goalposts are moved to the back of the end zone.

One of the most unique aspects of the Canadian game has always been the 110-yard field and longer end zones. In 2027, the CFL will shorten the field to 100 yards while maintaining the existing 65-yard width. The move effectively standardizes field length between the CFL, NFL and NCAA football, but I’m not sure it’s necessary to improve the fan experience.

The biggest change is the decision to move the goalposts from the front of the end zone to the back for the 2027 season.

In announcing the change, the CFL said the shift removes an obstruction that impacts the middle of the end zone and will help lead to more touchdowns. The league said moving the goalposts will also remove a visual obstruction for fans and improve stadium sightlines.

While I have seen passes and even the occasional punt hit the goalposts, resulting in a dead ball, this typically happens once or twice a season. Offences have adapted to it in their play calling.

The league projects moving the goalposts will lead to 10 per cent more end zone completions and 60 more touchdowns per season.

The CFL will also shorten and standardize the length of end zones in all stadiums at 15 yards. Currently, most end zones are 20 yards long, except for Toronto’s BMO Field, which has 18-yard end zones, and Montreal’s Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, which has end zones with cropped corners.

Is anything sacred? 

Asked during a news conference whether he would ever consider changing the number of downs or the number of players on the field to conform to NFL rules, CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston wouldn’t rule anything out.

“I don’t offer guarantees,” he said. “I don’t say the word, ‘Never.’”

Fans who value the core Canadian football values of three downs, 12 players and the pre-snap motion known as the waggle can rest assured those features will remain in place, at least for now.

But the fact the commissioner refuses to commit to the most fundamental aspects of Canadian football makes me very nervous that the CFL may bow to the pressure to adopt more NFL-style rules. That would make the CFL look like another second-rate, spring league like the XFL, USFL or UFL, which have all struggled to put fans in the seats.

No professional football league in Canada can survive on TV revenue alone, so putting more fans in the seats is paramount. We saw proof of that when the league cancelled the 2020 season due to the pandemic.

Impact on field goals

The biggest problem I have with the rule changes is the impact on field goal kicking, which will become much more limited. With the goalposts moving the back of the end zone, teams will need to move the ball deeper into their opponent’s territory before considering a three-point kick attempt.

With the uprights currently in the front of the end zone, most teams opt to attempt a field goal on third down once they reach their opponent’s 40-yard line. From the 40, the ball is snapped seven yards and placed on a tee, for a 47-yard field goal attempt, a makable distance for most kickers.

With the goalposts moved to the back of the end zone, that once makable kick becomes a 62-yard attempt, which would exceed the range of most CFL kickers, even in ideal conditions.

While the league believes changes to field goal kicking will lead to more aggressive play calling on third down and ultimately more touchdowns, I wonder whether we will simply see more pooch punts or turnovers on downs. I’m sure the league hopes the rule will lead to more scoring, but it could end up backfiring if teams opt to punt more often rather than attempt a long field goal.

Impact on last-minute comebacks

I have seen several CFL games in which a team drives into field goal range in less than 20 seconds to win a game on the final play. Reducing the likelihood of a game-winning field goal takes away one of the most exciting aspects of the CFL game.

The league used to promote its last-minute comebacks using the phrase, “No lead is safe.” Reducing the likelihood of a last-minute field goal could lead to more predictable outcomes.

Say goodbye to missed field goal returns

Another unique aspect of the CFL game at risk is the missed field goal return. With the goalposts moving to the back of the end zone, missed field goal returns will only happen on longer attempts that fall short of the uprights.

Say goodbye to missed field goal return touchdowns, one of the most exciting plays in Canadian football. Last week, for example, Winnipeg’s Trey Vaval returned a missed field goal attempt 128 yards in a win over Ottawa. With the rule change, that play will result in a dead ball and no points awarded.

BC Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke, who recently broke the CFL record for most passing yards in a season for a Canadian signal caller, has also questioned why the league had to move the goalposts. In an interview with TSN, Rourke said CFL offences draw up plays that account for the presence of the posts.

“You move the goalposts back, you get rid of one of the things that’s most special about the league, which is its special teams,” said Rourke. “You move it to the back, that’s not a thing anymore. So we’re moving in a direction where they don’t like special teams.”

While not everyone likes the CFL’s looming rule changes, the package of changes was approved unanimously by the CFL’s lead governors, which includes team owners and chairpersons. There is a clear consensus, at least among management, that the changes are needed to improve fan engagement and grow the game.

As a fan who has been attending Hamilton Tiger-Cats games with my dad since 1987, I’m not so sure. But I do hope the league’s apparent gamble pays off.

The CFL has a clear attendance problem in some markets, like Toronto, which can struggle to put 10,000 fans in the seats for a regular season game. According to Global News, only the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders turned a profit last year.

A strong argument for change can be made, and I truly hope the league can improve its fortunes with these rule changes, as contentious as they may be.

At the very least, I believe the CFL should stand firm on its core principles of three downs, 12 players and a fast-paced game experience.

While I’m not convinced these rule changes are the answer, I hope they achieve the intended goal and make the game more accessible to a new generation of fans.