Landry's 5 takeaways from the 2026 CFL schedule release

Hello, football fans. I don’t know about you, but since my town just got blasted by not one but two, February-worthy snow storms, and we experienced an overnight windchill of minus 29 one night, I really needed the 2026 CFL schedule in my life.

It puts me in the mind of some summer football and that’s a warm, happy place I really want right now.

Here are five takeaways from the schedule release.

THERE’S A QUADRUPLE-HEADER, PEOPLE, THIS IS NOT A DRILL

Wait, now. Hold up a sec. I’m gonna double check this just to be sure.

A QUADRUPLE-HEADER? Is that what I’m seeing here?

Yesirree.

Week 15 will give us back-to-back-to-back (pauses to check the math) to-back games for the first time since 1995 (there were two quads in 1995, in fact).

The ultimate football fan feast begins with an afternoon tilt between the REDBLACKS and Argos in Toronto, followed by the Banjo Bowl between Saskatchewan and the Blue Bombers in Winnipeg, then the Stampeders and Edmonton Elks in Calgary, and capped off with the BC Lions playing host to the Montreal Alouettes.

Those last three are return matches following OK Tire Labour Day Weekend clashes between those same opponents.

Goodness, gracious it’s Football Day in Canada.

I will begin meal-planning right away.

YOU LIKE YOUR ANIMOSITY WITH A RECENCY BIAS? HERE YOU GO

Outside of the traditional Labour Day and following week back-to-backers, the 2026 CFL schedule gives you four more opportunities to witness just how snarly teams can be with each other when they play in consecutive weeks.

Weeks 6 and 7 see the Alouettes and Stampeders doing that, while Weeks 8 and 9 have the Roughriders and Elks doing the same.

The Stamps and REDBLACKS do it in Weeks 16 and 17, and the ‘Riders and Als go home-and-home in Weeks 19 and 20.

Saskatchewan, Montreal and Calgary are each part of three home-and-homers, while the Argonauts and Ticats do not partake in such activities at all.

The Ticats come close, playing Edmonton and Ottawa on the road in Weeks 17 and 18, then returning home to meet the Elks in Week 19. Oh, and then Ottawa again in Week 21, after a bye the week before.

YOUR STAMINA WILL BE TESTED EARLY THIS TIME AROUND

Never mind the quadruple-header for now.

Can you be totally game-ready by Week 3?

I should ask, really, can you be triple-game ready by Week 3?

Last season, the CFL provided us with its first (and only) triple-header of the season in Week 14, giving us all two-thirds of a season to get our “couch conditioning” up to par.

In 2026, you’ll be hit with three consecutive games on Saturday, June 20, with Toronto visiting Ottawa, Montreal at Edmonton and Saskatchewan at Calgary.

You have been warned. Your 2026 game-shape will be measured pretty much right outta the gate.

WELL, THERE’S SOMETHING YOU DON’T SEE EVERY DAY

We’re used to seeing four games most weeks during a CFL season, with the occasional three-game week popping up, usually later in the year.

A three-game slate to start the season is something different, though, and we’ll get that in 2026.

Three teams will get byes immediately following preseason, letting them get one more week to tune up before their regular season launch.

The Toronto Argonauts, the Saskatchewan Roughriders and BC Lions will get Week 1 byes.

IT’LL BE A GRAVEYARD SMASH

The Eastern and Western Semi-Finals will both be played on October 31 and that will imbue these games with some extra candy in the form of Hallowe’en fun.

We don’t know who’ll be hosting but I do know that lots of CFL fans in every province love themselves some creative cosplay.

Hard to say, exactly, just what will be most intense. The games on the field or the costume competitions in the stands.

If only we could just get the head coaches to take part.

Who doesn’t want to see, say, Mike O’Shea dressed as Woody from Toy Story or, I don’t know, Scott Milanovich as Edward Scissorhands?

Landry’s 5 takeaways from the 2026 CFL schedule release

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