Big changes are coming to the CFL, and it won’t just impact the pros. From the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to the Manitoba Bisons, right down to high school, football in Manitoba is bracing for a whole new game.
The CFL announced sweeping changes this week. Starting in 2026, the rouge will be modified, benches will move to opposite sidelines, and a faster 35-second play clock will kick in by 2027. The field will also shrink to one hundred yards, end zones will be cut to 15 yards, and goalposts will move to the back.
“There’s some stuff you scratch your head at, but there’s other things that make sense. You’ll never be completely happy,” said Nic Demski, a wide receiver for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Blue Bombers quarterback, Zach Collaros, adding, “There are still 12 players, the waggle, yard off the ball, the ratio didn’t change, those things to me are the CF.L”
While Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea said, “The idea after two years the changes stop, I don’t know, it would be speculation on my part, we’re also not privy to the entire plan.”
University of Manitoba, Bisons football coach Stan Pierre was shocked when he heard the news, but he doesn’t believe the rules will be adopted outside the CFL.
“Really shocked and kind of bewilderment, I am wondering what his rationale is and where are they going with this thing?” said Pierre.
“Our rules go through a rules committee, and I don’t think it’s a slam dunk that we will change our rules to match the CFL.”
Adding, “All the infrastructure would have to change, goalposts would have to be moved, that’s a significant undertaking in amateur football.”
Despite Pierre’s concerns, USport, the governing body of university football, says it hasn’t confirmed if it will be making the changes alongside the CFL.
“We need to have discussions internally with our members and stakeholders such as Football Canada about the impacts of the decisions announced yesterday,” said John Bower, the director of communications for U Sports.
Bowers said USport only learned of the changes to the CFL hours before it was announced.
“We do not know what the potential impact is at this time, including how many universities require field upgrades in the next several years, as these are major capital infrastructure investments,” he explained.
Despite this, the CFL doesn’t think it will have much of an impact if U Sports doesn’t follow suit.
“All stadiums that share with U Sports will be able to move goalposts back and forth,” said Lucas Barrett, the associate vice president of communications and public affairs for the CFL.
Meanwhile, Winnipeg’s high school football commissioner says it could have a ripple effect for how the game is played and taught at every level in the future, but says that’s for Football Canada to decide.
“I was excited, then I asked myself from the high school football standpoint what changes do we need to make,” said Jeffery Bannon, WHSFL commissioner.
“Some of these turf fields right now don’t have the money to change. I know how much it costs to put in a goalpost. We never researched how to change one, but it is exciting, and I think it’s what’s best for the game right now.”