EDMONTON – The Edmonton Elks host the BC Lions for Dog Days of Summer presented by ATCO Energy in CFL Week 7 action at Play Alberta Field at Commonwealth Stadium on Friday (July 16) at 7 p.m. MDT.

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster. Catch the action live on TSN, 880 CHED and CFL+.

Edmonton (4-1) enters Friday’s contest tied with the Saskatchewan Roughriders for first in the CFL West Division, while the Lions (1-3) currently occupy last place in the division.

REMATCH FROM WEEK 5

Although Edmonton and BC sit at opposite ends of the standings, the Elks’ lone defeat the season came at the hands of the Lions, falling by a score of 36-24 in Kelowna just two weeks ago, on July 4.

“We can show better than what we did in Kelowna,” Elks offensive lineman Mark Korte said. “BC’s a good team, though. I know their record maybe doesn’t say it right now, but I think they’re one of the best teams, so they’re going to be a good test, and we’re going to be ready for them. I think we all feel like we didn’t have our best showing in Kelowna and we’ll have our best showing on Friday night.”

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— Edmonton Elks (@GoElks) July 15, 2026

Following its loss to the Lions, Edmonton responded impressively, with a 40-17 victory over the Ottawa RedBlacks at Commonwealth Stadium on July 9. BC, meanwhile, had a Week 6 bye, meaning the Lions will be playing the Green and Gold in back-to-back games.

“I don’t think it’s about revenge, I think every is its own entity,” Elks coach Mark Kilam says. “It’s so different each and every week, but we focused on the things that we felt like will give us the best chance to win this game and that’s kind of the mentality that we have.”

TURNOVER BATTLE IS KEY

In its five contests so far this season, the only instance of Edmonton losing the turnover battle is against the Lions in Week 5. That game saw BC pick off three passes and recover one Elks’ fumble, while the Green and Gold had two takeaways, both interceptions of Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke.

Takeaways have proven a massive factor in the Green and Gold’s strong start: Edmonton ranks first in the league with a turnover margin of +7, and also leads the league with 42 points scored off turnovers.

“They’re playing team defence, rallying to the ball,” Kilam said. “Good things happen when you do that.”

TWO-HEADED MONSTER

Edmonton’s Justin Rankin is the talk of the CFL so far this season, and rightly so: the Elks running back ranks first in the league in total rushing yards (513), rushing yards per game (102.6), and rushing touchdowns (6), while also leading all CFL running backs in receptions (26), receiving yards (297) and receiving yards per game (59.4).

But Rankin isn’t the only weapon in Edmonton’s top-ranked ground offence, as evidenced last week against Ottawa when third-year Elks running back Javon Leake rushed for 85 yards on 10 attempts in his breakout performance of the season. It was an emphatic reminder to the league of why Rankin dubbed himself and Leake “Thunder and Lightning“.

“That’s my guy, we’re always trying to get packages in where we’re both in the game,” Leake said. “It’s a lot of formations that you’ve got to figure out with us in the game together, and at the same time it’s fun, seeing my brother out there, (getting to play) with him. The more we keep doing that, it’s going to be difficult for defences to stop us.”

PROTECT THIS HOUSE

For decades, Commonwealth Stadium was one of the most difficult venues for opposing CFL teams to visit, and that vibe seems to be back now at Play Alberta Field.

Going back to last season, Edmonton is 6-1 in its last seven home games, including victories both times playing at Commonwealth Stadium this year. A win on Friday would give the Green and Gold victories in its first three home games of the season since 2019.

“The most important thing we want to do is get the fans out,” Elks defensive back Kordell Jackson said following his team’s Week 6 triumph against the visiting RedBlacks. “So any time you’re winning at home, and you get the fans excited, more and more people show up, and that’s what we want. We want to get back to the glory days, that’s our goal for sure.”

Edmonton’s most recent regular season victory against the Lions also came at Commonwealth Stadium, in August 2024.