History

Canadian football was originally called rugby football, and is a descendant of rugby union football as played in the 1860s and 1870s by the Montreal Football Club and at McGill University. It is from this varsity play that the game now known as American Football entered the United States, after McGill challenged Harvard University to play.

The Canadian Football League was known under various names throughout its history including the Canadian Rugby Football Union, and the Canadian Rugby Union. The Canadian Rugby Football Union, original forerunner to the current Canadian Football League was established in 1884.

As the rules of American football are very similar to Canadian football, the CFL has maintained a close relationship with its American counterpart, the National Football League (NFL).

The CFL regular season begins in June, and play-offs are be completed by mid-November. In cities with outdoor stadiums such as Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Regina, low-temperatures can seriously affect the outcome of a game.