CFL Playoffs 2026: Bracket, Schedule, Matchups & How to Watch
The 2026 CFL playoff field is set. The Division Semi-Finals are on Saturday, October 31: the Saskatchewan Roughriders visit the BC Lions at BC Place in the West, and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers cross over to face the Toronto Argonauts at BMO Field in the East. The Edmonton Elks and Montreal Alouettes finished first in their divisions and sit out until the Division Finals on November 7, with the 113th Grey Cup following on November 15 at McMahon Stadium in Calgary.
This page has the live bracket, every matchup with kickoff times and TV once confirmed, the season series between the teams, the final standings, and how to watch each round in Canada, the United States and the rest of the world.
CFL Playoff Bracket 2026
West Division
ElksEast Division
Alouettes2026 CFL Playoff Schedule
| Round | Date | Matchup | Venue | Kickoff (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Semi-Final | Sat, Oct 31 | Saskatchewan Roughriders at BC Lions | BC Place, Vancouver | 4:30 PM |
| East Semi-Final | Sat, Oct 31 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Toronto Argonauts | BMO Field, Toronto | 1:00 PM |
| West Final | Sat, Nov 7 | West Semi-Final winner at Edmonton Elks | Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton | TBA |
| East Final | Sat, Nov 7 | East Semi-Final winner at Montreal Alouettes | Percival Molson Stadium, Montreal | TBA |
| 113th Grey Cup | Sun, Nov 15 | West champion vs East champion | McMahon Stadium, Calgary | 6:00 PM |
The East Semi-Final opens the playoffs at 1:00 PM ET on TSN, CTV and RDS, and the West Semi-Final follows at 4:30 PM ET on TSN and RDS. Division Final kickoff times are announced after the Semi-Finals. Previews: Blue Bombers vs Argonauts and Roughriders vs Lions.
Saturday, October 31Division Semi-Finals
West Semi-Final: Roughriders at Lions
BC and Saskatchewan both finished 10-8 with 20 points. The Lions take second place and home field on the head-to-head tiebreaker after winning two of the three meetings: Saskatchewan took the opener 31-27 at Mosaic Stadium on June 13, then BC won 30-16 on August 23 and 31-24 on September 25, both at BC Place. The Lions stumbled into the postseason with two straight losses, including a 34-10 home defeat to Winnipeg in the finale, while the defending Grey Cup champion Roughriders closed with a 16-9 win over Edmonton. The winner travels to Edmonton for the West Final.
East Semi-Final: Blue Bombers at Argonauts
Winnipeg finished fourth in the West at 9-9 but, with 18 points, outpointed the East’s third-place team and crossed over, so the Blue Bombers play in the East bracket. Toronto, also 9-9 with 18 points, keeps second place because a crossover team always slots in as the third seed. The two split their regular season series: Winnipeg won 30-21 at Princess Auto Stadium on July 10 and Toronto won 30-28 on September 25 in the return trip. Winnipeg arrives hot after that 34-10 win in Vancouver; Toronto lost its last two. The winner faces Montreal in the East Final.
The Bye Teams: Elks and Alouettes
Montreal posted the league’s best record at 14-4 and hosts the East Final for the second straight year. Edmonton went 13-5 in Mark Kilam’s first season as head coach, the franchise’s first playoff appearance since 2019 and its first home playoff game since 2015. Both rest on Semi-Final weekend and host the Division Finals on November 7.
Final 2026 Regular Season Standings
| # | Team | GP | W | L | T | PTS | Diff | Strk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edmonton Elksy | 18 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 26 | +104 | L1 |
| 2 |  BC Lionsx | 18 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 20 | +32 | L2 |
| 3 |  Saskatchewan Roughridersx | 18 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 20 | +13 | W2 |
| 4 |  Winnipeg Blue Bombersxcrossover | 18 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 18 | -15 | W1 |
| 5 |  Calgary Stampederse | 18 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 18 | +45 | W1 |
| # | Team | GP | W | L | T | PTS | Diff | Strk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montreal Alouettesy | 18 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 28 | +148 | W1 |
| 2 |  Toronto Argonautsx | 18 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 18 | -11 | L3 |
| 3 |  Hamilton Tiger-Catse | 18 | 6 | 12 | 0 | 12 | -80 | W1 |
| 4 |  Ottawa Redblackse | 18 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 2 | -236 | L1 |
Grey Cup Pedigree of the Six Playoff Teams
| Team | Grey Cup titles | Last title | 2026 record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Argonauts | 19 | 2022 | 9-9 |
| Edmonton Elks | 14 | 2015 | 13-5 |
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 12 | 2021 | 9-9 |
| Montreal Alouettes | 8 | 2023 | 14-4 |
| BC Lions | 6 | 2011 | 10-8 |
| Saskatchewan Roughriders | 5 | 2025 | 10-8 |
How the CFL Playoffs Work
- Six teams qualify: the top three in each division, with first place earning a bye to the Division Final and home field throughout.
- Crossover rule: a fourth-place team crosses into the other division’s bracket if it has strictly more points than that division’s third-place team. Winnipeg did exactly that in 2026.
- Single elimination: one game per round, no series. Lose and the season is over.
- Playoff overtime: teams alternate possessions from the 35-yard line, and unlike the regular season the game continues until there is a winner. No ties.
- Tiebreakers for seeding: points, then wins, head-to-head record, head-to-head net points, division net points, overall net points. BC over Saskatchewan this year was decided at head-to-head.
How to Watch the CFL Playoffs
Canada
TSN carries every playoff game in English and RDS in French, with CTV simulcasting the Grey Cup. Stream with a TV provider login on TSN.ca, the TSN app or RDS En Direct, or without cable through TSN Direct or TSN+. Crave subscribers with the TSN add-on can also watch there.
United States
CFL+ streams the Division Semi-Finals and Division Finals free in the US, in a browser, with no subscription. The Grey Cup airs on CBS Sports Network, which cable, satellite, Paramount+ and the live TV streaming services carry; see the Grey Cup guide for the full list.
Rest of the world
CFL+ carries every playoff game and the Grey Cup free outside Canada, no account needed, with replays for 48 hours. It is geoblocked inside Canada. Travelling and locked out of your usual TSN or RDS account? A VPN such as ExpressVPN lets you set your location to Canada and sign in as normal.
CFL Playoffs 2026 FAQ
When do the 2026 CFL playoffs start?
Saturday, October 31, 2026 with the East and West Division Semi-Finals, followed by the Division Finals on Saturday, November 7 and the 113th Grey Cup on Sunday, November 15 in Calgary.
Who is in the 2026 CFL playoffs?
West: Edmonton Elks (1st, bye), BC Lions (2nd) and Saskatchewan Roughriders (3rd). East: Montreal Alouettes (1st, bye), Toronto Argonauts (2nd) and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who crossed over from the West as the third seed.
What are the Semi-Final matchups?
West Semi-Final: Saskatchewan Roughriders at BC Lions, BC Place. East Semi-Final: Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Toronto Argonauts, BMO Field. Both on Saturday, October 31.
Why are the Blue Bombers in the East bracket?
The crossover rule. Winnipeg finished fourth in the West with 18 points, more than the East’s third-place team, so it took that playoff spot and plays in the East bracket as the third seed.
Why did BC get home field over Saskatchewan?
Both finished 10-8 with 20 points. The first tiebreaker after wins is the head-to-head record, and BC won two of the three meetings in 2026.
What time are the CFL Semi-Finals?
Winnipeg at Toronto kicks off at 1:00 PM ET on October 31 and Saskatchewan at BC at 4:30 PM ET. Division Final times are set after the Semi-Finals.
Can two teams from the same division meet in the Grey Cup?
Yes. If Winnipeg wins the East bracket, the Grey Cup could be an all-West matchup against Edmonton, BC or Saskatchewan.
Where is the 2026 Grey Cup?
McMahon Stadium in Calgary on Sunday, November 15, 2026, kickoff 6:00 PM ET, on TSN, CTV, RDS and Crave in Canada, CBS Sports Network in the US and CFL+ elsewhere.