TORONTO — Four weeks into the season, every game is beginning to reveal a little more about each CFL team.
Some clubs are proving they belong among the league’s top contenders, while others are still looking for the consistency needed to climb the standings. FanDuel Canada Day Weekend offers another opportunity for teams to keep building momentum, bounce back from disappointing results and make an early statement.
Whether it’s the Edmonton Elks defending their unbeaten record, familiar faces meeting in Ottawa or the Winnipeg Blue Bombers looking for payback in Hamilton, there won’t be any shortage of intrigue.
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WHO’S GOING TO RIDE THE MOMENTUM?
Toronto at Calgary | Thursday, July 2 | 9:00 p.m. ET | TSN/CBSSN/CFL+
Momentum can be a powerful thing early in the CFL season, and both the Argonauts and Stampeders enter Thursday night’s opener believing they’re headed in the right direction.
Toronto has quietly won two straight games behind the resurgence of Chad Kelly, who has looked more like the quarterback that guided the Double Blue to the Grey Cup in 2024. Calgary, meanwhile, picked up its first win of the season by defeating BC in Kelowna, with Vernon Adams Jr. enjoying a successful return against his former team and Dedrick Mills once again leading the ground game.
It’s also an intriguing contrast in styles. Toronto has leaned on Kelly and one of the CFL’s top passing attacks, while Calgary has found success behind a balanced offence and an improving defence. With both teams hoping to establish themselves as legitimate contenders in their respective divisions, Thursday’s winner could carry plenty of confidence into the heart of the summer schedule.
FAMILIAR FACES REUNITE
Saskatchewan at Ottawa | Friday, July 3 | 7:30 p.m. ET | TSN/RDS2/CFL+
There won’t be any shortage of familiar faces when Saskatchewan visits Ottawa on Friday night.
Quarterback Jake Maier spent last season backing up Trevor Harris during the Roughriders’ Grey Cup-winning campaign before signing with the REDBLACKS in free agency. Ottawa also added A.J. Allen, C.J. Reavis and Habakkuk Baldonado during the off-season, giving this matchup plenty of reunion storylines as several former teammates square off for the first time.
There’s plenty at stake beyond the reunions. Saskatchewan will be eager to bounce back after suffering its first loss of the season, while Ottawa continues to search for its first victory of 2026. For the REDBLACKS, knocking off the defending Grey Cup champions would provide a significant boost. For the Roughriders, it’s an opportunity to quickly remind the rest of the league why they entered last week unbeaten.
ELKS REMAIN UNDEFEATED OR LIONS GET ON THE BOARD?
Edmonton at BC | Saturday, July 4 | 7:00 p.m. ET | TSN/CFL+
Speaking of unbeaten teams, only one remains in the CFL.
The Elks have opened the season 3-0 thanks to a balanced attack led by Cody Fajardo, Justin Rankin and a defence that continues to make timely plays. Their latest victory came in Winnipeg, where Edmonton responded with a game-winning drive after seeing a 17-point lead disappear.
BC, meanwhile, has shown enough to believe its first victory isn’t far away. Nathan Rourke continues to move the offence, while newcomers and young contributors have flashed throughout the opening month. The question now is whether the Lions can finally put together a complete four-quarter performance against the league’s hottest team, or whether Edmonton will continue one of its best starts in recent memory.
CAN THE BLUE BOMBERS GET REVENGE FOR THEIR WEEK 2 LOSS?
Winnipeg at Hamilton | Sunday, July 5 | 7:00 p.m. ET | TSN/CBSSN/CFL+
Hamilton handed Winnipeg its first loss of the season back in Week 2, earning an impressive road victory at Princess Auto Stadium.
Since then, the Tiger-Cats have only strengthened their case as one of the East Division’s top contenders. Bo Levi Mitchell and Kenny Lawler continue to lead one of the CFL’s most explosive offences, while Hamilton enters the week riding a two-game winning streak after its bye.
Winnipeg, meanwhile, hasn’t won since their Week 1 triumph over the Stampeders and will be eager to avoid falling further behind in a competitive West Division. Mike O’Shea’s team has built a reputation for responding after adversity, setting up what feels like an early measuring-stick game for both clubs as they look to carry momentum into the second half of the season’s opening stretch.
