A few days ago, Canadian Football League commissioner Stewart Johnston rocked the CFL world with a list of changes to the game set to be implemented in 2026 and 2027. In case you missed it, here’s the link to the full announcement: Tradition Meets Innovation: CFL announces major changes to the game.
The gist of it comes down to changes to field dimensions, the play clock, and the rouge.
My initial thoughts were that even though I liked the rule changes in a vacuum, it still felt like an Americanization of the game.
After a couple of days, I’ve cooled on that take a little bit. To a degree, I still think it is, but the uniqueness that makes the Canadian game so special still exists. The rouge very much still exists, the lack of fair catch on punts still exists, the waggle still exists, and most importantly, it’s still 12 v 12 with three downs instead of four. It’s still the sport and the league we love, just tweaked. And I welcome that. I want to look at the changes individually and break down some of the pros and cons.
Changes in 2026
Modified Rouge:
This is 100% the best change commissioner Johnston implemented. The fact that you could miss a field goal and potentially win a game was a TRAVESTY. It was a joke. It rewarded FAILURE. I hate to be that guy, but listen: kickers don’t do a whole lot, man. Now, don’t get me wrong, they can be the hero and make the most important play of the game, whether that’s a game-winning field goal, an extra point, or even a game-saving tackle in the rarest scenarios. I’m not underestimating their importance (in spots). But their roles are unquestionably limited, and they really only have one job: kick the ball through the uprights. Again, not saying it’s easy, but that’s really all you have to do. The fact that they could NOT DO THEIR JOB and still be rewarded was a joke. This change fixes that completely and I think it’s wonderful for the game.
The rouge being taken away on punts and kickoffs that go through the end zone was called for less by me personally, but I get the rationale. Now, if your kicker is hurt or has the yips, in a tie game from the 20-yard line, you can’t just send your punter out there to bomb it through the end zone. No more getting rewarded for failure. 10/10 rule change.
Opposite Field Team Benches:
Again, such an easy fix. Why were they ever on the same sideline? It was bush league. This makes substitutions infinitely easier and speeds up the game. It only affected a few stadiums, but still. Another easy 10/10 rule change.
35-Second Play Clock:
There seems to be some confusion here. Some people think it will slow the game down because the clock used to be 20 seconds. Not so. The old 20-second clock didn’t start until the play was whistled in, which took about 40–50 seconds total. Now with a 35-second auto clock that starts immediately after the play ends, the game will speed up. That’s good for action, but it feels a little… unnecessary?
This is the first one that feels like more of a shift towards American football with their 40-second auto-play clock. It also begs the question: what happens in the last three minutes? Those final three minutes are famous for their chaos and “no lead is safe” energy. This seems to cut into that. Do you add a timeout? Make it 25 seconds in the final three minutes? Not sure how you can have one play clock for 57 minutes and another for the last three. Not sure I love it. Time will tell.
Changes in 2027
15-Yard End Zones and 100-Yard Field:
This is another that feels like an Americanization move. The field will stay 65 yards wide (vs. the NFL’s 53.3), and the plan here is to incentivize more action. But was the CFL lacking action? Not to me.
The change from 110 yards to 100 isn’t the end of the world. We probably won’t even care in a year or two. The 15-yard end zones are more relevant to the next rule, moving the goalposts to the back. You couldn’t really keep 20-yard end zones with back-end goalposts. Otherwise, you’d end up with absurdly long field goal attempts from prime territory. This part makes sense because it keeps kickers relevant in the game.
Goalposts at the Back of the End Zone:
I get it. This is objectively better. Goalposts in the end zone were an obstruction, and yes, passes hit them and players could even use them for picks. It didn’t happen often, but it could decide games. Moving them to the back opens up the end zone for more action.
Commissioner Johnston claimed it could mean 60 more TDs a season. I don’t know about that, but it does open the game up offensively. Still, this one *along with the 100-yard field) feels the most “NFL Lite.” It’s tough, because it is better for the game, but also the most American-style change.
Final Thoughts
Like I said at the beginning, I do like all of these rules in a vacuum. And even if I do think there’s more of a shift towards American Football, I think it’s important to point out that I do now think the game will be better. And I think that, coupled with the fact that the CFL will still display and exist with a uniqueness that makes it a game and a league that we love and cherish. Long live the CFL.
