3DownNation’s 2026 CFL season predictions: Grey Cup winner and loser

Photo: Reuben Polansky/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

The CFL regular-season is set to begin on Thursday night, which means it’s time to predict the matchup and winner for this year’s Grey Cup at McMahon Stadium in Calgary.

None of our contributors predicted the Saskatchewan Roughriders would win last year’s Grey Cup, though three of them selected them to represent the West Division. Let’s see if they can do a better job in 2026.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have the CFL’s longest championship drought, dating back to 1999. The next-longest droughts belong to the B.C. Lions (2011), Edmonton Elks (2015), Ottawa Redblacks (2016), Calgary Stampeders (2018), Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2021), Montreal Alouettes (2023), and Toronto Argonauts (2024).

Our nine panelists include JC Abbott, Ryan Ballantine, Griff Bordignon, Santino Filoso, Joel Gasson, Pablo Herrera-Vergara, John Hodge, Andrew Hoskins, and Peter Klein, covering eight of the CFL’s nine markets.

If you haven’t already done so, please check out their predictions for this year’s season-end awards.

ABBOTT: B.C. Lions, 35 – Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 28

Like any hard worker, Nathan Rourke is always early, never late. That was clearly the case when he declared, “It’s our time” last postseason. B.C. will overcome a tough road schedule to start the year thanks to the best offence in Canadian football and capture their first title since 2011.

BALLANTINE: Calgary Stampeders, 26 – Montreal Alouettes, 17

Calgary finally gets a playoff win for the first time since 2018 and uses a road victory in B.C. to propel themselves into a home Grey Cup. Vernon Adams Jr. caps his season with a Grey Cup MVP after losing out on the M.O.P.

BORDIGNON: B.C. Lions, 34 – Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 28

The two teams with the longest championship droughts meet in Calgary, and I like Nathan Rourke’s chances of adding a Grey Cup to his collection of awards. I also like the Lions’ offseason additions on the defensive side of the ball, and I believe anything short of a Grey Cup appearance for the Lions would be a disappointment.

FILOSO: Ottawa Redblacks, 33 – B.C. Lions, 30

10 years after winning the organization’s first Grey Cup, the Redblacks return to the championship game and come out on top thanks to Ryan Dinwiddie’s best coaching job to date. The Lions prove to be stiff competition and are ultimately sunk by a late field goal.

GASSON: B.C. Lions, 35 – Ottawa Redblacks, 30

Will I ever learn and not pick Ottawa? Probably not, but someone’s got to pick someone other than Hamilton and Montreal out of the East Division. Success has mostly followed Ryan Dinwiddie but Nathan Rourke gets his crown.

HERRERA-VERGARA: B.C. Lions, 24 – Montreal Alouettes, 21

This feels like the year for the B.C. Lions. After knocking on the door on multiple occasions over the last few years, they will beat the Riders and then the Als. Montreal has still never beaten the Lions since Jason Maas became the team’s head coach.

HODGE: B.C. Lions, 27 – Montreal Alouettes, 19

The Lions have a stacked roster and are led by the CFL’s best player. With an M.O.P. award now on his resumé, the only thing Nathan Rourke is missing is a Grey Cup ring. I like his chances of winning one in 2026.

HOSKINS: B.C. Lions, 33 – Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 30

Let’s call this matchup the Kitty Bowl. Buck Pierce knows how to get the most out of an offence and he has the top player in the league to lead the way. I see a shootout-style Grey Cup with the Canadian kid finding a way.

KLEIN: Montreal Alouettes, 27 – B.C. Lions, 24

The Alouettes came so close last year after dealing with several injury issues throughout the season. This year, they take the next step in a battle of exciting QBs with Davis Alexander getting the best of Nathan Rourke.