CFL Playoffs 2026: Bracket, Schedule, Scores & Grey Cup

The 2026 CFL playoffs start with the Division Semi-Finals on Saturday, October 31, a week after the regular season ends on October 24. Six of nine teams qualify, the top three in each division, and the 113th Grey Cup is Sunday, November 15 at McMahon Stadium in Calgary. Today the Edmonton Elks (12-4) lead the West and the Montreal Alouettes (12-3) lead the East, and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers hold the East's third spot through the crossover.

6 of 9teams qualifytop 3 per division
Oct 24regular season ends18 games per team
Oct 31Semi-Finals2nd hosts 3rd
Nov 7Division Finals1st place hosts
Nov 15113th Grey CupCalgary · TSN, CTV
Countdown to113th Grey CupSunday, November 15, 2026 · 6:00 PM EST (5:00 PM MT) · McMahon Stadium, Calgary
—Days
—Hours
—Minutes
—Seconds

CFL Playoff Race

West Division

Playoff places

  1. 1Elks12-42428
  2. 2Lions10-62024
  3. 3Roughriders8-71622
  1. =Stampeders8-91618

East Division

Playoff places

  1. 1Montréal12-32430
  2. 2Argonauts9-71822
  3. 3Blue Bombers crossover8-81620
  1. outTiger-Cats5-121012
  2. outRedblacks0-1604

1st place gets a bye to the Division Final; 2nd hosts 3rd in the Semi-Final. Points: 2 per win, 1 per tie; the last column is the most points a team can still reach; a minus figure = points behind 3rd. Full playoff picture →

Crossover Watch

A fourth-place team takes the other division’s third playoff spot only if it has more points; a tie keeps the third-place team in. “Max” is the most points each team can still reach.

West 4th v East 3rdBlue Bombers 8-8 · 16 ptsvTiger-Cats 5-12 · 10 ptsCrossover in effectLocked: Tiger-Cats cannot pass Blue Bombers
East 4th v West 3rdTiger-Cats 5-12 · 10 ptsvRoughriders 8-7 · 16 ptsNo crossover: Tiger-Cats cannot pass Roughriders

Projected Playoff Matchups

West Semi-Final · Oct 31Lions2nd · hostRoughriders3rd
West Final · Nov 7Elks1st · hostSemi-Final winner
East Semi-Final · Oct 31Argonauts2nd · hostBlue Bomberscrossover
East Final · Nov 7Montréal1st · hostSemi-Final winner

If the season ended today. The two Division Final winners meet in the Grey Cup. Full bracket →

2026 CFL Playoff Schedule and TV

Date Stage Games TV
Sat, Oct 24 Regular season ends Week 21: the playoff field and crossover are set TSN and RDS
Sat, Oct 31 Division Semi-Finals 3:00 PM and 6:30 PM ET: 2nd hosts 3rd in each division TSN and RDS in Canada; CBS Sports Network or CFL+ in the United States
Sat, Nov 7 Division Finals Same times: 1st place hosts the Semi-Final winner TSN and RDS in Canada; CBS Sports Network or CFL+ in the United States
Sun, Nov 15 113th Grey Cup 6:00 PM ET (4:00 PM MT), McMahon Stadium, Calgary TSN, CTV and RDS in Canada; CBS Sports Network and CFL+ in the United States

Streaming on TSN+ and Crave in Canada. Schedule with scores →

How the CFL Playoffs Work

  • Who qualifies: the top three teams in the West and East Divisions by points (2 for a win, 1 for a tie); ties are broken by wins, then head-to-head wins, head-to-head net points, net points and points scored.
  • Crossover: a fourth-place team with more points than the other division’s third-place team takes that spot and plays in the other division’s bracket; a tie keeps the third-place team in.
  • Hosting: first place gets a bye and hosts the Division Final; second place hosts the Semi-Final. The Grey Cup site is set in advance: McMahon Stadium in Calgary in 2026.
  • Next year: 2026 is the last season of the six-team format; 2027 brings an eight-team playoff.

Format and tiebreakers →

Grey Cup Champions

Year Champion Score Opponent Host city
2025 Saskatchewan Roughriders 112th 25-17 Montreal Alouettes Winnipeg
2024 Toronto Argonauts 111th 41-24 Winnipeg Blue Bombers Vancouver
2023 Montreal Alouettes 110th 28-24 Winnipeg Blue Bombers Hamilton
2022 Toronto Argonauts 109th 24-23 Winnipeg Blue Bombers Regina
2021 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 108th 33-25 (OT) Hamilton Tiger-Cats Hamilton
2020 Not played (COVID-19)
2019 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 107th 33-12 Hamilton Tiger-Cats Calgary
2018 Calgary Stampeders 106th 27-16 Ottawa Redblacks Edmonton
2017 Toronto Argonauts 105th 27-24 Calgary Stampeders Ottawa
2016 Ottawa Redblacks 104th 39-33 (OT) Calgary Stampeders Toronto

The Argonauts have won three of the last nine Grey Cups; the Blue Bombers played in five straight from 2019 to 2024 (none was held in 2020).

Share this page

Frequently asked questions

Is there a crossover in the CFL this year?

As of today, yes: the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (16 points) are fourth in their division but ahead of the East’s third-place team, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (10 points), so they would take the East playoff spot.

What time is the 2026 Grey Cup and what channel is it on?

Sunday, November 15 at 6:00 PM ET (4:00 PM MT) at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, on TSN, CTV and RDS in Canada and CBS Sports Network and CFL+ in the United States.

Who won the 2025 Grey Cup?

The Saskatchewan Roughriders, 25-17 over the Montreal Alouettes in Winnipeg.

How is the CFL playoff format changing?

2026 is the last season with six playoff teams; from 2027 the CFL moves to an eight-team playoff.