Canadian Football League attendance


Canadian Football League attendance has averaged no fewer than 20,000 spectators per game for every season since 1963. The CFL consistently draws, on average, the third or fourth largest crowds to its games of any professional sports league in North America, ranking behind the National Football League and Major League Baseball, about on par with Liga MX and ahead of Major League Soccer, the National Basketball Association, National Hockey League and the National Lacrosse League.
To date, a CFL game has drawn in excess of 50,000 spectators 111 times. It happened for the first six times in 1976, when Toronto's Exhibition Stadium was renovated to accommodate the Toronto Blue Jays, and its capacity was enlarged to become the first CFL stadium capable of holding such a large crowd. Later that same season, the Montreal Alouettes moved into Olympic Stadium, following the 1976 Summer Olympics. Large stadiums were constructed soon afterward for the Edmonton Eskimos and BC Lions. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, CFL attendance peaked at about 30,000 fans per game.
During the 1980s and 1990s, CFL attendance declined sharply, reaching its nadir by the mid 1990s due in large part to the league's unsuccessful attempt to expand to the United States. Since start of the 21st century, CFL attendance has stabilized. During the current decade, new stadiums have been constructed for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Ottawa Redblacks and Winnipeg Blue Bombers, all with modern amenities and capacities of between one quarter and one half the capacity of an average NFL stadium. A new stadium is under construction to house the Saskatchewan Roughriders while BMO Field in Toronto, originally built for Toronto FC of Major League Soccer, is being renovated to accommodate the Toronto Argonauts. Existing stadiums, most notably Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton and BC Place in Vancouver, have undergone major upgrades.
During the 2010s, CFL attendance has consistently exceeded 25,000 fans per game. An average of 25,286 fans watched CFL games in 2014. CFL attendance has been depressed during the middle of the current decade by short-term issues, most notably the lack of stadium availability in Toronto and Hamilton. By 2018, attendances in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver were consistently below 20,000 fans, prompting long-term concerns in those markets.

Top single-game attendance marks

Below is a list of all Canadian Football League games reported to have been attended by 50,000 or more spectators.
RankDateResultCityStadiumAttendanceNote
1.Tue 09/06/77Toronto 20 @ Montreal 14MontrealOlympic Stadium69,093
2.Sun 09/26/76Ottawa 2 @ Montreal 23MontrealOlympic Stadium68,505
3.Sun 11/27/77Montreal 41 vs. Edmonton 6MontrealOlympic Stadium68,318Grey Cup
4.Tue 08/23/77Ottawa 20 @ Montreal 27MontrealOlympic Stadium66,544
5.Sun 11/23/08Calgary 22 vs. Montreal 14MontrealOlympic Stadium66,308Grey Cup
6.Sun 11/25/01Calgary 27 vs. Winnipeg 19MontrealOlympic Stadium65,255Grey Cup
7.Tue 08/22/78B.C. 26 @ Montreal 30MontrealOlympic Stadium65,132
8.Sun 11/25/79Edmonton 17 vs. Montreal 9MontrealOlympic Stadium65,113Grey Cup
9.Thu 08/11/77Winnipeg 10 @ Montreal 27MontrealOlympic Stadium63,330
10.Sun 11/28/10Montreal 21 vs. Saskatchewan 18EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium63,317Grey Cup
11.Sun 10/02/77Toronto 18 @ Montreal 6MontrealOlympic Stadium62,832
12.Sun 11/24/02Montreal 25 vs. Edmonton 16EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium62,531Grey Cup
13. Sat 09/26/09 Saskatchewan 23 @ Edmonton 20EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium62,517
14.Fri 09/05/03Calgary 0 @ Edmonton 38EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium62,444
15.Tue 09/05/78Ottawa 23 @ Montreal 18MontrealOlympic Stadium62,197
16.Sat 10/22/77Ottawa 16 @ Montreal 28MontrealOlympic Stadium62,157
17.Sat 11/06/76Ottawa 17 @ Montreal 26MontrealOlympic Stadium61,950
18.Fri 09/06/02Calgary 11 @ Edmonton 45EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium61,481
19.Sun 11/16/97Toronto 47 vs. Saskatchewan 23EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium60,431Grey Cup
20.Sun 11/18/84Winnipeg 47 vs. Hamilton 17EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium60,081Grey Cup
21.Sun 11/09/03Toronto 26 @ Montreal 30MontrealOlympic Stadium60,007Eastern Final
22.Sun 10/10/82B.C. 1 @ Edmonton 30EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium59,979
23.Sun 09/26/82Calgary 17 @ Edmonton 36EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium59,836
24.Sun 08/29/82Saskatchewan 32 @ Edmonton 25EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium59,723
25.Sun 11/30/86Hamilton 39 vs. Edmonton 15VancouverB.C. Place59,621Grey Cup
Fri 10/11/85Winnipeg 31 @ B.C. 10VancouverB.C. Place59,478
Sun 11/17/85Winnipeg 22 @ B.C. 42VancouverB.C. Place59,478Western Final
Fri 09/19/86Edmonton 32 @ B.C. 3VancouverB.C. Place 59,478
Sun 11/29/87Edmonton 38 vs. Toronto 36VancouverB.C. Place59,478Grey Cup
Sat 10/27/84Winnipeg 3 @ B.C. 20VancouverB.C. Place59,421
Sun 11/11/84Winnipeg 31 @ B.C. 14VancouverB.C. Place59,421Western Final
Sun 11/20/83Winnipeg 21 @ B.C. 39VancouverB.C. Place59,409Western Final
Sun 11/27/83Toronto 18 vs. B.C. 17VancouverB.C. Place59,345Grey Cup
Sun 11/27/05Edmonton 38 vs. Montreal 35 VancouverB.C. Place59,157Grey Cup
Sat 10/30/82Hamilton 11 @ Edmonton 14EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium59,104
Sun 10/03/76Hamilton 26 @ Montreal 19MontrealOlympic Stadium58,730
Sun 11/21/10Toronto 17 @ Montreal 48MontrealOlympic Stadium58,021Eastern Final
Fri 09/06/91Calgary 37 @ Edmonton 51EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium57,843
Sun 08/01/82Winnipeg 32 @ Edmonton 26EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium57,596
Fri 09/07/90Calgary 17 @ Edmonton 34EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium57,444
Sun 11/17/02Toronto 18 @ Montreal 35MontrealOlympic Stadium 57,125Eastern Final
Sat 08/20/83Winnipeg 6 @ B.C. 44VancouverB.C. Place 56,852
Sun 11/24/85B.C. 37 vs. Hamilton 24 MontrealOlympic Stadium56,723Grey Cup
Sun 08/15/82Montreal 8 @ Edmonton 46EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium56,354
Sat 07/17/82Toronto 12 @ Edmonton 31EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium55,974
Sun 11/25/18Calgary 27 vs. Ottawa 16EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium55,819Grey Cup
Sat 10/14/95Calgary 20 @ Saskatchewan 25Regina Taylor Field55,438
Sat 11/19/77Ottawa 18 @ Montreal 21 MontrealOlympic Stadium55,400Eastern Final
Sat 10/23/76Edmonton 17 @ Montreal 10MontrealOlympic Stadium55,337
Sun 11/14/04Saskatchewan 25 @ B.C. 27 VancouverB.C. Place55,227Western Final
Sun 11/27/94B.C. 26 vs. Baltimore 23VancouverB.C. Place55,097Grey Cup
Tue 07/26/77Calgary 6 @ Montreal 17MontrealOlympic Stadium55,085
Sun 11/28/82Edmonton 32 vs. Toronto 16TorontoExhibition Stadium54,741Grey Cup
Sat 11/08/86Winnipeg 24 @ B.C. 36VancouverB.C. Place54,723
Sun 11/18/07Saskatchewan 26 @ B.C. 17VancouverB.C. Place54,712Western Final
Sun 11/23/80Edmonton 48 vs. Hamilton 10TorontoExhibition Stadium54,661Grey Cup
Sun 10/01/78Edmonton 42 @ Montreal 22MontrealOlympic Stadium54,652
Sun 11/20/83Hamilton 36 @ Toronto 41TorontoExhibition Stadium54,530Eastern Final
Sun 11/26/78Edmonton 20 vs. Montreal 13TorontoExhibition Stadium54,386Grey Cup
Fri 09/10/93Calgary 16 @ Edmonton 29EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium54,324
Sun 11/27/11B.C. 34 vs. Winnipeg 23VancouverB.C. Place54,313Grey Cup
Sat 11/04/78Ottawa 34 @ Montreal 9MontrealOlympic Stadium54,159
Sat 10/12/91Edmonton 45 @ B.C. 38 VancouverB.C. Place54,108
Sun 11/26/89Saskatchewan 43 vs. Hamilton 40TorontoSkyDome54,088Grey Cup
Sun 11/22/09B.C. 18 @ Montreal 56MontrealOlympic Stadium53,792Eastern Final
Sat 10/29/83Toronto 22 @ Edmonton 15EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium53,577
Thu 08/01/91Toronto 41 @ B.C. 52 VancouverB.C. Place53,527
Sun 10/19/86Calgary 30 @ Edmonton 38EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium53,504
Thu 06/23/83Calgary 19 @ B.C. 41VancouverB.C. Place53,472Pre-season
Sun 11/28/76Ottawa 23 vs. Saskatchewan 20TorontoExhibition Stadium53,467Grey Cup
Sun 11/22/81Edmonton 26 vs. Ottawa 23MontrealOlympic Stadium53,307Grey Cup
Sat 10/23/04Ottawa 21 @ Montreal 52MontrealOlympic Stadium53,302
Fri 09/08/00Calgary 10 @ Edmonton 31EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium53,248
Sat 10/15/05Saskatchewan 18 @ Edmonton 19EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium53,216
Sun 11/25/12Calgary 22 vs. Toronto 35TorontoRogers Centre53,208Grey Cup
Fri 08/12/83B.C. 43 @ Edmonton 13EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium52,765
Sun 11/15/81B.C. 16 @ Edmonton 22EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium52,709Western Final
Sat 09/10/83Toronto 32 @ B.C. 14VancouverB.C. Place52,656
Sun 11/19/95Baltimore 37 vs. Calgary 20ReginaTaylor Field52,564Grey Cup
Fri 09/10/82Hamilton 30 @ Toronto 25TorontoExhibition Stadium52,521
Fri 09/10/99Calgary 38 @ Edmonton 13EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium52,458
Sun 09/25/83Edmonton 30 @ B.C. 31VancouverB.C. Place52,430
Wed 08/02/78Montreal 11 @ Toronto 16TorontoExhibition Stadium52,308
Sun 10/02/83Calgary 28 @ Edmonton 31EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium52,255
Sun 11/25/07Saskatchewan 23 vs. Winnipeg 19TorontoRogers Centre52,230Grey Cup
Tue 07/25/78Hamilton 12 @ Montreal 24MontrealOlympic Stadium52,132
Sun 11/30/14Hamilton 16 vs. Calgary 20VancouverB.C. Place52,056Grey Cup
Sun 11/24/91Toronto 36 vs. Calgary 21WinnipegWinnipeg Stadium51,985Grey Cup
Mon 08/20/79Ottawa 14 @ Montreal 32MontrealOlympic Stadium51,487
Fri 08/05/83Saskatchewan 21 @ Edmonton 36EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium51,448
Sun 09/11/83Hamilton 21 @ Edmonton 50EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium51,428
Tue 07/18/78Toronto 23 @ Montreal 30MontrealOlympic Stadium51,388
Sun 11/14/04Toronto 26 @ Montreal 18MontrealOlympic Stadium51,296Eastern Final
Sat 10/22/05Toronto 49 @ Montreal 23MontrealOlympic Stadium51,269
Sun 11/21/04Toronto 27 vs. B.C. 19OttawaFrank Clair Stadium51,242Grey Cup
Wed 07/25/79Calgary 19 @ Montreal 7MontrealOlympic Stadium51,237
Sun 09/09/79Toronto 11 @ Montreal 31MontrealOlympic Stadium51,203
Fri 09/09/94Calgary 12 @ Edmonton 38EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium51,180
Sun 11/21/82Winnipeg 21 @ Edmonton 24EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium51,111Western Final
Sun 11/16/03Edmonton 34 vs. Montreal 22ReginaTaylor Field50,909Grey Cup
Fri 09/11/98Calgary 30 @ Edmonton 23EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium50,856
Sun 11/27/88Winnipeg 22 vs. B.C. 21OttawaLandsdowne Park50,604Grey Cup
Sun 09/17/78Hamilton 4 @ Montreal 14MontrealOlympic Stadium50,567
Sun 10/09/77Saskatchewan 18 @ Montreal 20MontrealOlympic Stadium50,540
Sun 11/17/91Winnipeg 3 @ Toronto 42TorontoSkyDome50,380Eastern Final
Fri 09/10/04Calgary 12 @ Edmonton 44EdmontonCommonwealth Stadium50,366
Fri 09/30/11Edmonton 24 @ B.C. 33VancouverB.C. Place50,213
Wed 08/11/76Ottawa 27 @ Toronto 16TorontoExhibition Stadium50,212
Sun 11/18/12Toronto 27 @ Montreal 20MontrealOlympic Stadium50,112Eastern Final
Sun 11/12/06Saskatchewan 18 @ B.C. 45VancouverB.C. Place50,084Western Final
Sun 11/28/93Edmonton 33 vs. Winnipeg 23CalgaryMcMahon Stadium50,035Grey Cup

League Records

Single Game Records

Season Records

Team Records

[BC Lions]

Type of RecordAttendanceDate/YearStadiumResult/Games
Pre-season game53,472*Thu 06/23/83B.C. PlaceCalgary 19 @ B.C. 41
Regular season game59,478Fri 10/11/85
Fri 09/19/86		B.C. PlaceWinnipeg 31 @ B.C. 10
Edmonton 32 @ B.C. 3
Playoff game59,478Sun 11/17/85B.C. PlaceWinnipeg 22 @ B.C. 42
Grey Cup game 59,621Sun 11/30/86B.C. PlaceHamilton 39 vs. Edmonton 15
Total Attendance-Regular season418,7381986B.C. Place9 games
Total Attendance-Regular season and playoffs459,1191986B.C. Place10 games
Average Attendance-Regular season46,5261986B.C. Place9 games
Average Attendance-Regular season and playoffs47,0891983B.C. Place9 games

[Calgary Stampeders]

[Edmonton Eskimos]

[Hamilton Tiger-Cats]

[Ottawa Rough Riders] / Renegades">Ottawa Renegades">Renegades / Redblacks">Ottawa Redblacks">Redblacks

[Montreal Alouettes]

[Saskatchewan Roughriders]

[Toronto Argonauts]

[Winnipeg Blue Bombers]

CFL attendance vs. other North American professional sports leagues

The following table compares the Canadian Football League regular season average attendance against the regular-season average attendance for the other professional sports leagues in North America with average attendance of at least 10,000 spectators per game.
LeagueSport# TeamsSeasonAverage
attendance		Average vs.
prior season		Total
Attendance		Ref
National Football LeagueAmerican football32201966648-0.717061787
Major League BaseballBaseball302019–1.768494752
Liga MXSoccer182018–1922896-9.73503135
Canadian Football LeagueCanadian football9''–3.91856263
Major League SoccerSoccer24201921310-0.038694584
National Basketball AssociationBasketball302018-1917,844-0.721964447
National Hockey LeagueIce hockey312018-1917,377–0.722002081