CFL 2026 Season Update For the Weekend of August 21st - 23rd, 2026

 

Something like half of the CFL season has now passed, and I am only now getting around to beginning to cover it for the first time.

Yet, this was a busy year for sports coverage. I attended the French Open (well, sort of) earlier this year. There was the World Cup, and I managed to go to one game there as well. More recently, the NFL preseason began, too.

But I was not really yet paying attention to the CFL season. And it seemed time to finally remedy that now, with an entry to try and catch up.

So here goes:

The Montreal Alouettes have played in two of the last three Grey Cups. They won it the first time around, then lost it last year. But you have to figure that they have a good chance of making it back this year again, if they keep playing the way that they have to this point. They just defeated the Ottawa Redblacks, 46-16, to improve their overall record to a league best 9-1 mark at the midseason. That puts them 4 1/2 games ahead of the rest of the East, with eight games left to play. Defensively, they are the toughest unit in the East, and their offense is far and away higher scoring than any other team in the East. In fact, only the Calgary Stampeders have scored more points so far this season. Clearly, the Alouettes appear to be in as good a shape at this point as you could expect any team to be.

After that in the East, the Toronto Argonauts are second at 4-5, with the Hamilton Tigercats close on their heels at 4-6. In dead last place right now is Ottawa, who have yet to win a game and compiled a record of 0-10. Barring some kind of a miracle, the Redblacks really do not appear to have any shot at reaching the postseason. 

Out in the West, the Edmonton Elks suddenly have roared to life. This team was the worst in the West for years. Now, however, they appear to be the best of the West, with a record of 7-3. Still, that is only half a game ahead of the defending champions, the Saskatchewan Roughriders at 6-3. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have been a force in the CFL for many years, and they too remain relevant so far at 5-4 at this midseason point. The BC Lions are behind them at 4-6, and Calgary presently is in last place in the West Division at 4-6. But no team in the West Division is out of it like, say, the Ottawa Redblacks appear to be in the East.

As mention, Montreal defeated Ottawa. Later this evening, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers will visit the first place Edmonton Elks. Tomorrow, the Hamilton Tigercats will go on the road to take on the interprovince rivals, the Toronto Argos. And on Sunday, the Roughriders will take on the Lions in Vancouver, British Columbia.