A recent national survey indicates that nearly half of Canadian Football League (CFL) followers are in favor of the proposed rule changes, although a majority believe that the CFL should not emulate the American football game at this time. CFL Commissioner Stewart Johnston unveiled a set of rule modifications to be phased in over the next two years.
Starting in 2026, the CFL will no longer award a single point for field goal attempts, punts, or kickoffs that go through or out of the end zone. Additionally, a 35-second automatic play clock will replace the current 20-second allowance after officials signal a play.
By 2027, the playing field will shrink from 110 yards to 100 yards, end zones will reduce from 20 yards to 15 yards, and goalposts will be relocated from the goal line to the back of the end zones. The survey, conducted by Winnipeg-based Probe Research among 1,230 Canadian adults from October 6 to 14, found that 30% of respondents were aware of the proposed changes.
The poll revealed that 11% of Canadians are avid CFL fans who either attend games or watch them on TV, while an additional 29% casually watch games or check scores. Conversely, 60% of Canadians do not follow the CFL at all.
Among those polled who are casual or engaged fans, 42% expressed support or partial support for the rule adjustments, while 20% opposed them. Thirty-seven percent did not offer an opinion. In regions like Saskatchewan and Manitoba, where the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers draw significant crowds, opposition to the changes was more pronounced, with 35% holding negative views.
A supplementary survey of 448 Manitoba residents indicated even stronger resistance in the province, with 45% disapproving of the rule alterations. Among CFL followers nationwide, there was notably high approval, with 62% supporting the implementation of a 35-second play clock and 59% backing the elimination of the single-point rule for balls passing through the end zone.
Support for other changes was slightly lower: 55% for shortening the end zones, 54% for moving the goalposts, and 53% for reducing the field length. Additionally, 64% of CFL enthusiasts agreed that now is not the time to make the league more like the NFL, while 42% stated they would stop watching if the changes were enacted.
The survey also revealed that 50% of CFL followers find the league less interesting than the NFL, but 59% believe the proposed modifications would enhance the Canadian game’s excitement. Probe Research principal Curtis Brown highlighted the delicate balance between tradition and innovation that the CFL faces with these rule adjustments.
The CFL declined to comment on the survey findings. Probe Research conducted the national survey using an online provider and its proprietary online panel for the Manitoba subset. The results were statistically weighted to reflect Canada’s demographic composition based on age, gender, and region.
