, "football" historically refers to two distinct sports with shared roots in 19th-century rugby: Canadian Football (the gridiron game) and Association Football Canadian Gridiron Football
If your interest lies in association football (soccer), recent publications provide specific year-by-year records: Men’s Amateur Football Champions (1913–2023) : A paperback by Up North Productions that covers over 110 years of national championships. The 1960s Football Book of Records : Also published by Up North Productions , this is a focused historical record of the 1960s era. 3. Archival Media & News Coverage canada football history
: A dedicated site that functions as a repository for historical league meetings, such as the 1911 formation of the Western Canada Rugby Football Union. 2. Canadian Soccer History , "football" historically refers to two distinct sports
British immigrants and military regiments in Montreal played informal rugby as early as 1862. The Montreal Football Club , founded in 1868, is considered the sport's "official" Canadian birth date. Archival Media & News Coverage : A dedicated
In the 1990s, the CFL underwent significant changes, including the introduction of a new television contract and the expansion of the league to nine teams. The CFL also introduced the concept of free agency, allowing players to move freely between teams. Today, the CFL is a nine-team league, with teams competing in the East and West divisions. The league has a strong following in Canada, with thousands of fans attending games each week.
The first documented football-style game in Canada occurred on November 9, 1861, at the University of Toronto .
During this era, the NFL started sniffing north. The Buffalo Bills (AFL) tried to move to Toronto. The NFL's Oakland Raiders openly coveted Vancouver. Canadian fans fought back with loyalty, packing stadiums in Winnipeg and Hamilton to 30,000 seats.