Photo: Edmonton Elks

The Edmonton Elks have moved their preseason game scheduled for Friday, May 29 against the Calgary Stampeders to Clarke Stadium.

The change was made because the Canadian Men’s National Team is scheduled to play an international friendly on June 1, which requires Commonwealth Stadium to be temporarily converted to a natural grass playing surface. The grass will be installed throughout the spring, then the stadium will be converted back to turf immediately following the match.

The Elks are using the move to Clarke Stadium as a way to “harken back to the early years of the Green and Gold and some of the best years of Canadian Football.”

“We’re excited to lean into this moment and bring football back to Clarke Stadium,” said team president and CEO Chris Morris in a statement. “This gives us a unique opportunity to create a throwback experience in a historic, intimate setting — a fun, energetic afternoon that connects us back to our roots and sets the tone for the season ahead.”

The preseason game, dubbed ‘Night at the Knothole,’ will be presented in a retro style, celebrating where the team spent its first 30 seasons. Clarke Stadium will be retrofitted with additional seating and an expanded concourse, though it’s unclear what the final capacity will be. Opened in 1938, the venue sits next door to Commonwealth Stadium.

The Edmonton Elks finished fifth in the West Division standings in 2025 with a 7-11 record, missing the playoffs for the fifth straight season. Cody Fajardo started the team’s final 13 regular-season games and went 6-7, throwing for 3,408 yards, 14 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Tre Ford started the first five, going 1-4, and threw for 984 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions.

The Elks ranked ninth in net offence, ninth in net defence, and fifth with a turnover differential of plus-four. The club’s leading rusher was Justin Rankin with 1,013 yards, leading receiver was Kaion Julien-Grant with 820 yards, and leading tackler was Joel Dublanko with 80 tackles. Edmonton finished seventh in attendance with average crowds of 19,050, which was a 7.1 percent decrease from the previous year.

Photo: Edmonton Elks