CFL unveils 2021 schedule, Ticats-Bombers to open season
The CFL released its 2021 schedule Friday, and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats will face the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the opening game of the regular season.
The 2019 Grey Cup rematch will take place Thursday, June 10. The preseason kicks off May 23 with the BC Lions traveling to face the Calgary Stampeders.
"We're looking forward to hosting our comeback season in our stadiums, in front of our fans," CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie said in the announcement. "With this schedule, we're signaling that we're looking forward with optimism to playing in 2021."
The CFL nixed the 2020 season due to COVID-19 issues and a lack of funding from the Canadian government.
To limit cross-country travel, the 2021 schedule includes eight more divisional games than usual. As a result, not every team will visit every stadium at least once over the course of the season.
The Labor Day week - Week 13 - features five games:
| Date | Road team | Home team |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 1 | Tiger-Cats | Argonauts |
| Sept. 3 | Alouettes | Redblacks |
| Sept. 5 | Blue Bombers | Roughriders |
| Sept. 6 | Argonauts | Tiger-Cats |
| Sept. 6 | Edmonton Football Team | Stampeders |
The 2021 Grey Cup will be awarded Nov. 21, with Hamilton set to serve as the host city.