CFL bettors will need to re-evaluate their handicap processes for games beginning next season after the league announced some major changes to its rules and field dimensions at a press conference in Toronto on Monday.
Commissioner Stewart Johnston announced the sweeping changes that will be made over the next two seasons, most notably the goalposts being moved from the front to the back of the end zone and the resizing of the field games will be played on.
“This is all about making our great game even more entertaining,” said Commissioner Johnston at the press conference. “We are trading field goals for touchdowns, while improving fan experience in stadiums and at home. These changes are the most significant in decades. We are retaining the unique elements upon which our traditions stand, but innovating where change is needed to evolve our world-class game.
Upcoming rule and field changes
- Goalposts to be moved to the back of the end zones. The CFL is planning to move goalposts from the front to the back of the end zone in all venues beginning in 2027. This should allow quarterbacks to more effectively target the middle of the end zone and avoid obstruction from the posts during passing attempts. Shifting the goalposts to the back of the end zone also makes sense from a player safety perspective, as there have been instances where players have been injured by coming into contact with goalposts during play. However, this change does mimic NFL rules, which isn’t sitting well with some CFL purists. The CFL projects 10% more end zone completions and 60 more touchdown passes per season once this change is made, which is certainly notable for bettors.
- Smaller end zones and overall field size. End zones will be shortened from 20 to 15 yards, as will the overall field from 110 yards to 100 yards in 2027. However, the 65-yard width of the field will remain the same. The CFL says these modifications will ensure league-wide conformity of end zone dimensions, as some venues currently have slightly different end zone nuances. Again, these changes are more in line with NFL field dimensions.
- Modified rouge. The rouge, or the ability to score a single point, is unique to the CFL. Beginning in 2026, though, the rouge will no longer include a single point for a missed field goal attempt that goes wide of the goalposts. 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 league believes this will encourage more aggressive play-calling on third downs.
- Opposite-field team benches and 35-second play clocks. All teams will be required to have their bench areas on opposite sides of the field, eliminating long runs for player substitutions. This change will not impact anything from a betting perspective. Additionally, a new 35-second play clock will automatically begin as soon as the previous play is whistled dead. Currently, the 20-second play clock doesn’t start until manually initiated by a game official. The CFL says this change should improve game flow, but again, there’s no real impact on games from a betting perspective. These changes will be initiated in 2026.
Positive and negative feedback to CFL rule changes
It didn’t take long for feedback from various sources to come pouring in on the new CFL rule changes.
BC Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke didn’t mince words when asked about the new rules while speaking with reporters on Monday following practice.
“It’s garbage,” Rourke proclaimed. “Fans and people who play in this league grew up watching the CFL and loving the game. I grew up in Ontario, playing Canadian football rules all my life, was aware of the league down there (NFL), but was a fan of the CFL because of its differences.
“I went down to the States proud of the game, being able to explain the differences. What the waggle, the yard, the extra person, those are the things that are unique about the game that make it different.”
Rourke, who has played in both the CFL and NFL throughout his football career, also told reporters that the league didn’t consult current coaches or players before making the changes, which he believes makes the Canadian game more American.
Saskatchewan Roughriders CEO and President Craig Reynolds had a different take on the new rules.
“The whole goal around today’s announcement was to keep the game moving — transition from less field goals, more touchdowns, more scoring, which, obviously leads to a better product for our fans,” Reynolds said at a news conference via CBC. “Just part of the evolution of the league and the commissioner’s vision.
“Three downs, 12 players a side, the wide field, unlimited motion, those are uniquely Canadian and today wasn’t about changing our game, it was about making a great game better.”
The timing of the proposed rule changes is interesting, as the league’s current Canadian broadcast deal with TSN expires in 2026, as does the CFL’s TV deal south of the border with CBS Sports Network.