Thanksgiving Day Classic

Origins and historical hosts

The tradition of CFL games on Thanksgiving Day dates to the league's formation in 1958, with 127 games played on the holiday through the 2026 season. For much of its early history, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats were the event's dominant host, staging games in all but three years between 1958 and 1982. Hamilton also hosted Thanksgiving games in three out of four years from 1990 to 1993 and returned to host in 2013 and 2021. The modern era of the Classic, however, is defined by the Montreal Alouettes' association with the event. Montreal began hosting regularly in 1997, a move initially designed to provide the franchise with a major holiday game since it did not participate in the Labour Day Classic, a slot traditionally occupied by Montreal and Ottawa-based teams when both franchises were active. The Alouettes' role became permanent from 2006 onward, solidifying the Thanksgiving Day Classic as a staple of their home schedule.

Through the 2013 season, the league typically scheduled two Thanksgiving Day games each year, with Montreal hosting one and a second game hosted by a rotating team. This format changed after the Ottawa Redblacks joined the league in 2014. From 2015 onward, with one exception, Montreal has been the sole host of the Classic. The matchup was further formalized in 2021 when the Ottawa Redblacks became the permanent away team for the event, creating a consistent Thanksgiving rivalry. From 2022 through 2025, the lone Classic matchup every year has been Ottawa versus Montreal. Notably, during the CFL's expansion into the United States in the mid-1990s, none of the American-based teams ever participated in the Thanksgiving Day Classic, despite the concurrent Columbus Day holiday in the United States.

Format and scheduling significance

The Thanksgiving Day Classic is typically one of only two days in the CFL season, along with Labour Day, where games are played on a Monday afternoon. The event is structured as a doubleheader, though in recent years this has often meant a single hosted game in Montreal. The presenting sponsor for the event as of 2022 is the logistics company Purolator. The Classic holds a distinct place in the league's schedule, acting as a late-season pivot point as teams jockey for playoff positioning. Its timing on a national holiday ensures high television viewership and strong stadium attendance, making it a marquee broadcast property. The league has experimented with the event's scheduling, most notably in 2019 when, for the first and only time in league history, no games were played on Thanksgiving Day.

The 2020 season saw a Classic scheduled, but the entire CFL season was cancelled due to the financial challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, so the game was not played. The event returned to the schedule in 2021. The scheduling of the Classic has been subject to broader league considerations, including television agreements and collective bargaining. A proposal in late 2017 to move the Grey Cup to October, which would have placed division championship games on Thanksgiving weekend, was not implemented after the league renewed its agreement with ESPN and a new collective bargaining agreement made no provision for the change. However, this concept later influenced a significant revision accepted in April 2026.

The 2027 schedule realignment

In April 2026, the CFL approved a modified version of earlier proposals for a major schedule overhaul, to take effect in the 2027 season alongside other controversial rule changes aligning the CFL more closely with American football. Under this revision, the regular season will conclude on Thanksgiving Day. This change is part of a broader initiative to structure the regular season around Canada's holiday weekends, which also includes starting the season on the Victoria Day weekend in May. The move aims to create a more compact and dramatic conclusion to the regular season, leveraging the high audience engagement of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Following the end of the regular season on Thanksgiving Monday, an expanded eight-team Grey Cup tournament will begin the following weekend. This new playoff format represents a significant departure from the traditional structure and is designed to increase postseason participation and excitement. The decision to end the regular season on Thanksgiving fundamentally alters the purpose of the Thanksgiving Day Classic, transforming it from a late-season event into the definitive climax of the regular season campaign. This change was negotiated as part of the league's operational planning and reflects a strategic effort to build the league's calendar around nationally recognized dates.

Notable years and absences

The history of the Thanksgiving Day Classic includes several notable years where the event was altered or absent. The 2019 season stands out as the first and only time in CFL history that no games were played on Thanksgiving Day. This absence was the result of the league's scheduling process that year, independent of the earlier proposal to move the Grey Cup. The following year, 2020, saw the entire CFL season cancelled due to the financial challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, marking a second consecutive year without a Classic. The event's return in 2021 also marked the first year the Ottawa Redblacks served as the permanent away team, beginning the current Ottawa-Montreal rivalry framework.

Other significant years include 1997, when Montreal began its extended hosting tenure, and 2006, when that hosting became an annual fixture. The 2013 season was the last to feature the traditional two-game Thanksgiving doubleheader format before the schedule consolidated around a primary host. The 2021 game also represented a return for Hamilton as a host, linking the modern event to its historical roots. The upcoming 2027 season is poised to be another landmark year, redefining the Classic's role as the regular season finale.

Related events and tournaments

While the CFL's Thanksgiving Day Classic is the premier professional sports event associated with the holiday in Canada, the Thanksgiving weekend also features numerous amateur and youth sporting tournaments across the country and in the United States. These events, often using names like "Thanksgiving Classic," span multiple sports and age groups, capitalizing on the long weekend for travel and competition. In Canada, hockey tournaments are particularly prevalent, such as the U13 Elite Thanksgiving Classic in Calgary and the U13AAA/AA Thanksgiving Hockey Classic. Baseball tournaments like the "Best of the West" 10/11U Turkey Classic in Kamloops, British Columbia, also take place.

In the United States, soccer tournaments are common, including the Las Vegas Thanksgiving Soccer Classic in Nevada. These events, while unrelated to the CFL's official Classic, highlight the broader cultural tradition of holiday sports competitions. They typically offer guaranteed games for participating teams and operate as significant revenue and exposure generators for local sports organizations. The CFL's Thanksgiving Day Classic remains distinct as a nationally televised professional league event with a continuous history dating back decades.

• U13 Elite Thanksgiving Classic (Hockey): A 32-team AA Co-Ed tournament in Calgary, Alberta (October 9-12, 2026).
• Las Vegas Thanksgiving Soccer Classic: A youth soccer tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada (November 27-29, 2026).
• Best of the West 10/11U Turkey Classic (Baseball): A tournament in Kamloops, British Columbia (October 9-12, 2026).
• Richmond Thanksgiving Tournament & Festival (Soccer): A 33rd annual event in Richmond for U8-U18 teams (October 10-12, 2026).
• 6-4-3 Classic (Baseball): An event in Abbeville, Louisiana, hosted by Quality Sports Authority (November 18-19, 2026).

Cultural and broadcast impact

The Thanksgiving Day Classic occupies a unique space in Canadian sports culture, serving as a traditional holiday viewing event for families alongside Thanksgiving meals. Its Monday afternoon timeslot makes it accessible to a broad audience, and its position late in the CFL season often means the games have substantial playoff implications. The consistent hosting by Montreal since 2006, and particularly the established rivalry with Ottawa since 2021, has helped build a modern tradition for fans in Eastern Canada. The event's presentation sponsorship by Purolator since 2022 confirms its commercial value to corporate partners seeking association with a family-oriented national holiday.

From a broadcast perspective, the Classic is a central element of the CFL's television schedule, delivering strong ratings for networks like TSN and RDS. The planned 2027 change, which will see the regular season end on Thanksgiving, is expected to greatly increase the event's importance, making it the decisive day for final playoff berths and seeding. This evolution aims to harness the existing high viewership and translate it into even greater drama and fan engagement, securing the Classic's place as a key moment in the CFL calendar for the foreseeable future. The event's history, from Hamilton's early dominance to Montreal's modern hosting and the upcoming 2027 change, reflects its ongoing adaptation within the league's structure.

Questions about Thanksgiving Day Classic

Has the Thanksgiving Day Classic ever been cancelled?

Yes, the Classic has not been played in two years. In 2019, the CFL scheduled no games on Thanksgiving Day, the only such occurrence in league history. In 2020, a game was scheduled but the entire CFL season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so the Classic was not played. The event returned to the schedule in 2021.

What is the Thanksgiving Day Classic?

The Thanksgiving Day Classic is an annual doubleheader held on Thanksgiving Monday in the Canadian Football League. It is typically one of only two days in the CFL season, alongside the Labour Day Classic, where games are played on a Monday afternoon. As of 2022, the presenting sponsor of the event is Purolator. Since 2006, the Montreal Alouettes have hosted the event every single year. From 2022 through 2025, the lone matchup has been between the Montreal Alouettes and the Ottawa Redblacks.

Why does Montreal always host the Thanksgiving Day Classic?

Montreal began hosting the Thanksgiving Day Classic regularly in 1997 to compensate for not being part of the Labour Day Classic festivities, as Montreal and Ottawa franchises normally play on Labour Day. The Alouettes' permanent hosting role was solidified in 2006 and remained even after the Ottawa Redblacks returned to the league in 2014. Since 2021, the Ottawa Redblacks have served as the permanent away team for the Classic. This arrangement created a consistent eastern matchup, and from 2022 onward, the game has exclusively featured Montreal versus Ottawa.

What major change is happening to the Classic in 2027?

A major schedule change accepted in April 2026 will take effect in 2027, moving the end of the CFL regular season to Thanksgiving Day. This is part of an initiative to build the regular schedule around Canada's holiday weekends, including starting the season on Victoria Day weekend. Consequently, the Thanksgiving Day Classic games will serve as the final matches of the regular season. Following Thanksgiving, an expanded eight team Grey Cup tournament will begin the next weekend.

Did American teams ever play in the Thanksgiving Day Classic?

No American CFL teams ever played in the Thanksgiving Day Classic. This held true during the league's period of expansion into the United States in the mid 1990s. The American franchises did not participate despite Canadian Thanksgiving often coinciding with the Columbus Day holiday in the United States. The event remained a distinctly Canadian tradition within the league's schedule during that experimental era.

How many Thanksgiving Day games has the CFL played?

From the CFL's creation in 1958 through the 2026 season, there have been 127 games played on Thanksgiving Day. Historically, the Hamilton Tiger Cats hosted the vast majority of early Thanksgiving games between 1958 and 1982. The 2019 season was the only time in league history with no games scheduled on Thanksgiving. A game was scheduled for 2020, but the entire season was cancelled due to the COVID 19 pandemic.

Sources and further reading

• Thanksgiving Day Classic (Wikipedia)
• Thanksgiving Day Classic Facts for Kids (kids.kiddle.co)

Checked by the Garbutt Disposal desk. Last updated 2026-10-29.