The Grey Cup is the championship of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team. The trophy is named after Albert Grey, the Governor General of Canada from 1904 until 1911. He donated the trophy to the Canadian Rugby Union in 1909 to recognize the top amateur rugby football team in Canada. By this time Canadian football had become markedly different from the rugby football from which it developed. Although it was originally intended to be awarded only to amateur teams (like the Stanley Cup), over time, the Grey Cup became the property of the Canadian Football League as it evolved into a professional football league. Amateur teams ceased competing for the Cup by 1954; since 1965, the top amateur teams, playing in U Sports, have competed for the Vanier Cup. [1]
The Grey Cup game is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 4 million. [2] [3] Two awards are given for play in the game, Most Valuable Player and the Dick Suderman Trophy as most valuable Canadian player. [4] As a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Andrew Harris was the first player to win both the Dick Suderman Trophy and the Grey Cup Most Valuable Player the same year, which he did in 2019.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have made the most appearances (28), while the Toronto Argonauts have won the most championships (18) and have the best record in the Grey Cup composite standings (18–6). Despite the CFL's brief U.S. expansion era in the mid-1990s, the Grey Cup has never been played outside of Canada. The Baltimore Stallions were the only American team to appear in the Grey Cup (twice, losing in 1994 and winning the following year).
Although the first Grey Cup game was in 1909, none were played from 1916 to 1919 or in 2020, thus the most recent final was the 110th Grey Cup game which was played on November 19, 2023, at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ontario. Appearing in their fourth-straight championship game, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers were defeated for the second year in a row, this time by the Montreal Alouettes.
Although the official website of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats considers them as the same team, [21] the Tiger-Cats, Hamilton Alerts, Hamilton Tigers and Hamilton Flying Wildcats are all listed separately because, when the latter three were active, the teams competed as separate franchises. The Tigers and Flying Wildcats merged in 1950 to create the Tiger-Cats. [22]
As defined in the 2016 CFL's Facts, Figures, and Records and the 2023 CFL Guide & Record Book, for historical record purposes and by the current Ottawa Redblacks' request, the Ottawa Football Clubs are considered to be a single entity since 1876 with two periods of inactivity (1997–2001 and 2006–2013). [23] [24] Consequently, figures from the Ottawa Football Club (1876–1898), Ottawa Rough Riders (1899–1919, 1931–1996), Ottawa Senators (1920–1930), Ottawa Renegades (2002–2005), and Ottawa Redblacks (2014–present) are included as one. [24]
Toronto is the city with the most wins, 25, followed by Hamilton (15), Edmonton (14), Winnipeg (12), Ottawa (10), Montreal (10), Calgary (8), Vancouver (6), Regina (4), Kingston (3), Sarnia (2) and Baltimore (1).
Appearances | Team | Wins | Losses | Win % | Last Win |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
28 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 12 | 16 | .429 | 2021 |
24 | Toronto Argonauts | 18 | 6 | .750 | 2022 |
23 | Edmonton Eskimos/Elks | 14 | 9 | .609 | 2015 |
22 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 8 | 14 | .364 | 1999 |
19 | Montreal Alouettes | 8 | 11 | .421 | 2023 |
19 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 4 | 15 | .211 | 2013 |
18 | Ottawa Senators/Rough Riders/Redblacks | 10 | 8 | .556 | 2016 |
17 | Calgary Stampeders | 8 | 9 | .471 | 2018 |
10 | BC Lions | 6 | 4 | .600 | 2011 |
Appearances | Team | Wins | Losses | Win % |
---|---|---|---|---|
20 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 6 | 14 | .300 |
19 | Edmonton Eskimos/Elks | 11 | 8 | .579 |
17 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 9 | 8 | .529 |
15 | Calgary Stampeders | 7 | 8 | .467 |
15 | Montreal Alouettes | 7 | 8 | .467 |
11 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 4 | 7 | .364 |
11 | Toronto Argonauts | 8 | 3 | .727 |
10 | BC Lions | 6 | 4 | .600 |
10 | Ottawa Rough Riders/Redblacks | 6 | 4 | .600 |
Appearances | Team | Wins | Losses | Win % |
---|---|---|---|---|
8 | Hamilton Tigers | 5 | 3 | .625 |
6 | University of Toronto | 4 | 2 | .666 |
4 | Toronto Balmy Beach | 2 | 2 | .500 |
3 | Queen's University | 3 | 0 | 1.000 |
3 | Sarnia Imperials | 2 | 1 | .667 |
2 | Baltimore Stallions | 1 | 1 | .500 |
2 | Hamilton Flying Wildcats | 1 | 1 | .500 |
2 | Edmonton Eskimos & Elks | 0 | 2 | .000 |
2 | Toronto Parkdale Canoe Club | 0 | 2 | .000 |
2 | Winnipeg RCAF Bombers | 0 | 2 | .000 |
1 | Hamilton Alerts | 1 | 0 | 1.000 |
1 | Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers | 1 | 0 | 1.000 |
1 | St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy | 1 | 0 | 1.000 |
1 | Toronto RCAF Hurricanes | 1 | 0 | 1.000 |
1 | Toronto Rowing Association | 0 | 1 | .000 |
1 | Winnipeg Tammany Tigers | 0 | 1 | .000 |
The Grey Cup is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested between the winners of the CFL's East and West Divisional playoffs and is one of Canadian television's largest annual sporting events. The Toronto Argonauts have the most Grey Cup wins (18) since its introduction in 1909, while the Edmonton Elks have the most Grey Cup wins (11) since the merger in 1958. The latest, the 110th Grey Cup, took place in Hamilton, Ontario, on November 19, 2023, when the Montreal Alouettes defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 28–24.
The 1995 CFL season was the 38th season of the Canadian Football League, and the 42nd in modern-day Canadian football.
The 1994 CFL season is considered to be the 41st season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 37th Canadian Football League season.
The 1993 CFL season is considered to be the 40th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 36th Canadian Football League season.
The 1989 CFL season is considered to be the 36th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 32nd Canadian Football League season.
The 1988 CFL season is considered to be the 35th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 31st Canadian Football League season.
The 1987 CFL season is considered to be the 34th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 30th Canadian Football League season.
The 1986 CFL season is considered to be the 33rd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 29th Canadian Football League season.
The 1983 CFL season is considered to be the 30th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 26th Canadian Football League season.
The 1982 CFL season is considered to be the 29th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 25th Canadian Football League season.
The 1974 CFL season is considered to be the 21st season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 17th Canadian Football League season.
The 1967 CFL season was the tenth Canadian Football League season, and the 14th season in modern-day Canadian football.
The Annis Stukus Trophy is a Canadian Football League trophy, which is presented annually by the Edmonton Eskimos Alumni Association to the Coach of the Year, as determined by the members of the Football Reporters of Canada. The Trophy is named after former player, coach, and general manager Annis Stukus.
The Edmonton Eskimos faced the Montreal Alouettes in the Grey Cup game for the third consecutive year. And for the third consecutive year, the Edmonton Eskimos were Grey Cup champions. It was the first time in a Grey Cup that a touchdown was worth six points instead of five.
The 1958 CFL season was the inaugural season of the Canadian Football League, although the season structure was essentially unchanged from the one established three years earlier when the league's founding unions had effectively barred amateur teams from competing for the Grey Cup.
The 2008 CFL season was the 55th season of modern-day Canadian football, the 51st season for the Canadian Football League. It was also the first CFL season in which all of the league's regular season and post-season games, including the Grey Cup game, were aired on TSN. This meant the CFL was no longer aired on broadcast television in Canada. As of 2008, TSN was available in approximately 8.8 million of Canada's 13 million households. Montreal hosted the 96th Grey Cup at Olympic Stadium on November 23, when the championship was won by the Calgary Stampeders.
The 102nd Grey Cup was a Canadian football game played November 30, 2014, between the West Division champion Calgary Stampeders and East Division champion Hamilton Tiger-Cats, to determine the Canadian Football League (CFL) championship for the 2014 season. The contest was held at BC Place stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Stampeders won the contest 20–16 to claim their seventh Grey Cup championship in franchise history and first since 2008. Calgary quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell was named the Grey Cup Most Valuable Player, while Hamilton's Andy Fantuz received the Dick Suderman Trophy as most outstanding Canadian.
The 2014 CFL season was the 61st season of modern-day Canadian football. It was the 57th Canadian Football League season. Vancouver hosted the 102nd Grey Cup on November 30. The league expanded to nine teams with the addition of the Ottawa Redblacks, giving the CFL nine teams for the first time since the 2005 season. As a result of the expansion, the schedule shifted to a 20-week regular season plus three weeks of playoffs ; the season started on June 26, 2014.
The 103rd Grey Cup was a Canadian football game that was played on November 29, 2015 between the East Division champion Ottawa Redblacks and the West Division champion Edmonton Eskimos to decide the Canadian Football League (CFL) championship for the 2015 season. The game was played at Investors Group Field in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Shaw Communications was the presenting sponsor of the game; it was the first time in CFL history that the Grey Cup had been sponsored. The Eskimos won the contest 26–20 to claim their 14th Grey Cup championship in franchise history and first since 2005. Mike Reilly was named Most Valuable Player and Shamawd Chambers received the Dick Suderman Trophy as Most Valuable Canadian. It was the Eskimos' first Grey Cup win that did not involve Hugh Campbell in any capacity with the organization since the 1975 Grey Cup. This was Edmonton's last Grey Cup under the "Eskimos" name before the team name was changed to the Edmonton Elks in 2020.
The 2015 CFL season was the 62nd season of modern-day Canadian football. Officially, it was the 58th Canadian Football League season. The Edmonton Eskimos won the 103rd Grey Cup on November 29, defeating the Ottawa Redblacks 26–20 in Winnipeg. The schedule was released February 13, 2015 and the regular season began on June 25, 2015.