🏛️Official — CFL
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Team Sports
10–15 players
both
ball, goal posts
10 essential rules
The Canadian Football League (CFL) is the professional football league in Canada and the second-oldest professional gridiron football league in North America. The Grey Cup, the CFL's championship trophy, has been awarded since 1909 — predating the NFL's first championship by over a decade.
A unique CFL regulation: Each team must have a minimum of 21 Canadian (national) players on its 46-player roster; A minimum of 7 Canadian players must be in the starting lineup (offense or defense); Players are classified as "national" (Canadian citizen or permanent resident) or "international" (...
Each team receives 1 challenge per game; If the challenge is successful, the team retains its challenge (similar to NFL's system); In the last 3 minutes of each half, all reviews are initiated by the Command Centre in Toronto
Offside: 5 yards — same as NFL; Procedure (false start): 5 yards — same as NFL; Holding (offensive): 10 yards — same as NFL
Independent spotter: The CFL employs independent medical spotters who can stop play to evaluate any player suspected of having a concussion; Removal requirement: Any player identified with concussion symptoms is immediately removed from the game; Return to play: A player diagnosed with a concussi...
The CFL has a unique field marking: Dead line: A line 20 yards behind each goal line, marking the back of the end zone. In the NFL, this is simply the end line. In the CFL, a ball carrier in the end zone who is tackled or goes out of bounds behind the dead line results in either a safety (if it's...
Helmet certification: All helmets must meet CSA or NOCSAE standards and be recertified annually; Face mask requirements: Full face masks required for all positions; Equipment inspection: Officials conduct pre-game equipment checks to ensure all mandatory padding is properly worn
The CFL uses a crew of 7 officials, similar to the NFL. The CFL also employs a Command Centre in Toronto for video review of all plays, similar to the NFL's replay system.
Location: On the goal line, not at the back of the end zone. The NFL moved goal posts to the end line in 1974; the CFL kept them on the goal line.; Width: 18 feet 6 inches between the uprights — same as NFL; Crossbar height: 10 feet — same as NFL
Width: 51 feet apart (17 yards from each sideline) — wider than both NFL (23.58 yards from sideline) and NCAA (13.33 yards from sideline); Impact: The wider hashes create even more "short field" than NCAA and affect play design
If a punt goes out of bounds, the receiving team may choose to take the ball where it went out of bounds OR at the spot from which it was kicked — whichever is more advantageous. This is unique to the CFL.
Protect the quarterback — no dirty hits below the knees
Even on scrambling quarterbacks who are legally open to be tackled, defenders are expected not to dive at or roll into the knees. This code predates the written rules around QB protection and remains a point of serious locker-room accountability when violated.
No cheap shots after the whistle
Late hits, punches, or helmet-to-helmet contact after a play is dead are among the most serious code violations. Officials may miss them, but opponents and teammates remember. Repeat offenders develop reputations that follow them throughout the league.
In-play physicality is accepted; post-whistle targeting is not.
Don't run up the score on a beaten opponent
When leading by a significant margin late in the fourth quarter, the expectation is to pull starters, run the ball into the line, and avoid piling on touchdowns. Continuing to throw deep or call gadget plays is considered disrespectful to the opponent and the league's competitive dignity.
Applies to both regular season and meaningless late-season games. Grey Cup exceptions exist where point differential may matter.
Keep injury information confidential within the team
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Publicly disclosing a teammate's injury location, severity, or return timeline — especially to media — is considered a serious betrayal. The code exists to protect injured players from targeted hits and preserve competitive advantage.
CFL injury reporting rules are less prescriptive than the NFL's, making the locker-room custom more significant.