The CFL regular season typically kicks off in early to mid-June. Yes, June. That’s when the snow has finally melted (mostly), the mosquitoes are drafting their summer invasion plans, and you’re still pretending your winter tires are “just being thorough.” It’s a weird time—school’s almost out, but you’re still wearing a hoodie to the game because, well, it’s Canada.
But when exactly in June? Usually, the season opener lands on the second Thursday or Friday of the month. Think of it as the universe’s way of saying, “Congratulations, you survived another polar vortex. Here’s some football and a chance to sunburn your bald spot before July.”
The Preseason: Like a Dress Rehearsal That Nobody Attends
Before the real party starts, there’s the preseason, which usually kicks off in late May. If you’ve ever shown up to a friend’s house two hours early for a dinner party and caught them vacuuming in their underwear, you know the vibe. The preseason is exactly that—awkward, slightly underwhelming, and full of guys you’ve never heard of trying to prove they can catch a football without using their face.
I once went to a preseason game in Winnipeg where the temperature was a balmy 8°C and the only other fans were a guy in a parka eating a corn dog like it was a religious experience. That’s the preseason. It’s for the die-hards, the optimists, and people who lost a bet.
