SportsFootballCanada

CFL introduces radical changes to league's playoff format

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
|
Apr 28 2026, 8:38 pm
CFL introduces radical changes to league's playoff format
John E. Sokolowski/Imagn Images

Big changes are coming to the CFL.

Major changes are coming to the league’s playoff format, with an extra round being added to the postseason beginning in 2027.

Eight of nine teams will play games beyond the regular season. The top two teams in each division will play a “showdown” game for a trip to the semi-final (Round 3). The loser of that game will not be eliminated; rather, they’ll move on to Round 2.

Four other teams, seeded No. 5 to 8, will compete in the play-in round. Winners advance to Round 2, while losers are eliminated.

cfl-playoff-bracket

The new CFL playoff bracket will begin in 2027. (CFL)

Here’s how the CFL explained it:

Round 1 matchups

  • Division Showdown: The first- and second-place teams in each division face off. Winners earn a bye to Round Three (Grey Cup Semi-Finals) with home-field advantage; losers move on to Round Two (Elimination Games).
  • Play-In Games: Teams finishing outside the Top-2 in each division are seeded Nos. 5-8, with No. 9 eliminated from playoff contention. The Play-In Games will see No. 5 host No. 8, and No. 6 host No. 7. Winners advance to Round Two, while losers are eliminated.

Round 2 matchups

  • Division Showdown losers host Play-In Game winners with matchups based on regular-season records. Winners advance to Round Three (Grey Cup Semi-Finals), and losers are eliminated.

Round 3 matchups (Grey Cup Semi-Finals)

  • Division Showdown winners host Elimination Game winners with matchups based on regular-season record. Victors advance to the Grey Cup.

While there is plenty of excitement over these changes, there are some fans worried that it will make the regular season rather meaningless.

Speaking of the regular season, the schedule is set to jump ahead by approximately two weeks. Rather than beginning on June 4 as it is set to in 2026, the 2027 season and beyond will get underway on Victoria Day Weekend.

This will also result in the Grey Cup being played earlier. While the 2025 Grey Cup was played on Nov. 16, this new format will see the championship game played on Nov. 7 in 2027.

“All summer long, the CFL will be front and centre ā€“ exactly where it belongs,” CFL Commissioner Stewart Johnston said.

“More games. More drama. More entertainment. That was the mission, and thatā€™s exactly what this format will deliver. Weā€™re raising the stakes so every game carries real consequences ā€“ more teams in the hunt, right to the end.”

The CFL is making several changes under Johnston in an effort to boost popularity.

Last September, the league rolled out several changes that many people saw as a move toward the NFL. This included shrinking the field from 110 to 100 yards, shortening end zones from 20 to 15 yards, and moving goal posts to the back of the end zone. Other changes included modifying the rouge and making changes to the play clock.

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