A Look at the CFL's New Playoff Format

As I was eagerly welcoming this current Canadian Football League season, I stumbled on to a surprising development: they have changed the Grey Cup Playoff format! The news about this came about a month or so before this season started, and it was part of a long wave of changes that have hit the league recently. Of course, this year saw the rouge rule undergo a slight change, and they changed overtime, adding dueling two-point converts after the two minigames, resulting in ties being no more in the CFL.

Oh, and we better enjoy the current field while we can, because it'll all change next year. The goalposts are being moved back to the end line, the end zones will shrink by five yards, and the field will be 100 yards long, so drink in that extra 50-yard line and the 55-yard line this season. I vented about this before, they are turning the CFL into NFL Canada with these changes.

However, the playoff format change is one adjustment that I am excited for. I do like the current format that sends the top three teams in each division to the playoffs, and awards the crossover spot to the fourth-place team in one division who finishes better than the third place team in the other division. The first place teams get byes to the Division Finals, while the second and third place teams face each other in the Division Semifinals. So I do love this format, but the new format is chaotic, and I love me some chaos.

First off, there are nine teams in the Canadian Football League. Starting next year, eight of them get into the playoffs. I know, right? But for the one team who doesn't make it, well, they'll get to pick first in the Draft, so everyone gets something. So with eight teams in the playoffs, a new opening round is added. Introducing the Division Showdown, which will pit the top two teams in each division against each other, while the first round will also consist of the Play-In Games. Here's how it goes. The top two teams in each division get playoff bids. Regarding the rest, the remaining four playoff teams will be seeded #5-#8 and participate in the Play-In Games, with #5 hosting #8 in one game, while #6 hosts #7 in the other.

The Play-In Game winners advance to the second round, the Elimination Games and they will go on the road against the two teams who lost the Division Showdown games. The teams will be reseeded, with the losing teams from the Division Showdown being seeded #3 and #4 and having home field in those second round games. Regarding the winners of Division Showdown, they will be seeded #1 and #2 and advance straight to the third round, the Grey Cup Semifinals, and will host the Elimination Game winners. Of course, the two Semifinal winners will face off for the Grey Cup.

The format guarantees that a team will have to win at least twice to get to the Grey Cup. In addition, we could see the same matchup in the same tournament. For example, say the East Division Showdown features the Toronto Argonauts and the Montréal Alouettes. We could see this again in the Grey Cup Semifinals depending on how the bracket turns out.

As for my overall thoughts, I'll say this. It does look a little bit on the absurd side that in a nine-team league, only one team misses the playoffs. Something like this is screaming for the league to expand. I've heard stories for years about the CFL possibly putting a team in Halifax, but it hasn't happened as of yet. Also, I've heard suggestions of American expansion; suggestions, not rumors. Though, that probably would explain why the league's deciding to turn their CFL field into an NFL one starting next year. Maybe the CFL wants to spread across the border for the first time in over 30 years. But yeah, if more teams were added, it would make things more interesting.

Even with that, I am ready for this in 2027. The first round in that format does remind me a bit of the NBA's Play-In Tournament, because of the double elimination trait. In the NBA, whoever loses the game between the #7 and #8 teams will still have one more chance to stay alive. The same applies to the Division Showdown. The Division Showdown teams will advance anyway, but winning is more important, because the winners will get that free ticket right to the Grey Cup Semifinals, while the losing teams will have to play for their seasons in the Elimination Games.

So what does this mean for the season overall? According to the reports, starting next season, the regular season will start on Victoria Day Weekend. In 2027, Victoria Day falls on Monday, May 24, so chances are, the opening date will be May 20, 2027. In addition, beginning with next season, Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend will serve as the final week of the regular season. In 2027, the holiday falls on Monday, October 11, whch is four days before that year's playoffs will start. Round One (Division Showdown/Play-In Games) will take place on Friday, October 15, 2027 and Saturday, October 16, 2027. Round Two (the Elimination Games), will take place on Saturday, October 23, 2027, and Round Three (Grey Cup Semifinals) will take place on Saturday, October 30, 2027. As for the 114th Grey Cup, it will emanate from Regina, Saskatchewan and take place on Sunday, November 7, 2027.

But that, as epic as it is, is next season.

We are still early in this current season, not even a month into it. This season looks like it's been an interesting one and will continue to be, but after that season's finished, we will drink in that new format, and watch the CFL become even more and more chaotic from beginning to end. I know that I'll enjoy the beautiful and madness very much!