Canadian Football League Commissioner Stewart Johnston announced four bold strategic changes that will be implemented over two seasons to elevate the action, enhance the viewer experience, and position the league for the future.
The updates are intended to create more highlight-worthy plays, improve sight lines, and deliver more entertainment.
Johnston says that the changes will evolve and modernize the CFL game.
“We are trading field goals for touchdowns, while improving fan experience in stadiums and at home.”
In 2026, all teams will be required to have their bench areas on opposite sides of the field, eliminating cases where some players are required to run 50-60 yards for substitutions.
Additionally, a new 35-second play clock will automatically begin once the previous play is whistled dead to improve game flow and consistency. The change eliminates inconsistencies in timing caused by teams getting set at their own pace and varying times taken to set yardage markers. The revised play clock also instills a sense of urgency in players to progress the game and continue the drive promptly.
Also, next season, the rouge will no longer include a single point for a missed field goal. A point will also not be awarded when a punt or kickoff sails through or rolls out the back or sides of an end zone without being touched by a returner.
If a punt, field goal or kickoff settles in the end zone, and the returner fails to take it out or takes a knee, a single point will still be awarded. The change eliminates games being decided by a missed field goal, punt or kickoff through the end zone.
In 2027, goalposts will be moved to the back of the end zones. The shift removes an obstruction that impacts the middle third of the end zone, helping to drive more of football’s most exciting play: touchdowns. The change also benefits teams pinned deep in their territory, allowing offences previously limited by the goalposts to expand their playbooks and enabling punters to kick more freely from their end zone without interference.
Johnston also says that moving the goalposts removes an obstruction in the field of play, heightening player safety while offering more direct sight lines to big plays in the end zone for fans in the stadium and on broadcast.
The length of the end zones will be shortened from 20 yards to 15 yards. With the change, all CFL end zones will become standardized, removing the shortened end zones in Toronto and the oblong end zones in Montreal.
The field will also be shortened from 110 to 100 yards, but no changes are being made to the 65-yard field.
Johnston is excited for the evolution of the game.
“These changes are the most significant in decades. We retain the unique elements upon which our traditions stand, but we are innovating where change is needed to evolve our world-class game.”
The changes were unanimously approved by the CFL’s Lead Governors, which include team owners and chairpersons.
