New to Canadian junior football? Here is your beginners guide to the CJFL.

You know the CFL and U SPORTS football, but are you familiar with the great Canadian gift known as the CJFL (Canadian Junior Football League)?

Since the early 20th century, junior football has been played across Canada, but it became a formally organized sport in 1972 by the Canadian Amateur Football Association.

By 1974, the CJFL had become the home of junior football in Canada, with teams competing for the Canadian Bowl, the league's national championship.

The CJFL encompasses five provinces (Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia) and comprises 20 teams. Three conferences, the seven-team BCFC (British Columbia Football Conference), six-team PFC (Prairie Football Conference), and seven-team OFC (Ontario Football Conference) make up the league. There used to be a conference based in Quebec; however, they withdrew from the league to become the Quebec Junior Football League.

Long regarded and respected as an excellent developmental league for players who go on to have U SPORTS and CFL careers, the CJFL is an extremely important, undervalued, and entertaining rung of Canadian football.

To get you up to speed on the league itself, its teams, and their identities, below is the full guide to everything you need to know about the Canadian Junior Football League.

***NOTE (As of December 29th, 2025, the GTA Grizzlies of the Ontario Football Conference will not play the 2026 season due to competitiveness reasons. As such, they will not be included in this article).

BCFC (British Columbia Football Conference)

Kamloops Broncos (Kamloops, B.C.)

• Venue: Hillside Stadium
• Head coach: Jay Daniels
• 2025 record: 0-10 (7th)
• Championships: none
• Best season: 2014, appeared in BCFC semi-final.

The Broncos have been one of the BCFC's most losingest teams since their inaugural season in 2007. Before gaining acceptance into the conference, they were known as the Kamloops Cowboys but folded due to financial difficulties. They have only experienced one winning season in their franchise's history, which came in 2014, when they advanced all the way to the semi-final game of the BCFC. The following season in 2015, they produced a very prolific offence that would go on to break records. Since then, they have not surpassed the five-win mark in a single season.

Langley Rams (Langley, B.C.)

• Venue: McLeod Stadium
• Head coach: Jesse Maddox
• 2025 record: 2-7 (6th)
• Championships: 2021 Canadian Bowl, beat London 37-0
• Best season: 2021, won the Canadian Bowl

Initially based in the Surrey area, the team now known as the Langley Rams was introduced in 2010 after it was announced the team would move to the city of Langley to play at McLeod Stadium. Since that year, the Rams have been one of the more competitive teams in the BCFC, advancing to the Canadian Bowl five times but winning the title only once, in 2021, with a 37-0 drubbing of the London Beefeaters. 2025 was one of Langley's worst seasons in its history, as they went 2-7 and missed the playoffs. The team has recently pivoted, hiring a new head coach and general manager, Jesse Maddox, the current president of the Canadian Senior Men's National Tackle Football team, who brings experience from the CFL, CIS, and NCAA.

Valley Huskers (Chilliwack, B.C.)

• Venue: Exhibition Stadium
• Head coach: Bob Reist
• 2025 record: 4-5 (5th)
• Championships: none
• Best season: 2023, finished 3rd in BCFC at 7-4

The Valley Huskers are another relatively new junior football franchise, founded in 1998. A scrappy team, the Huskers had a rough spell of three-straight zero-win seasons from 2015-17 before becoming one of British Columbia's most quietly imposing teams with a combined 16-14 record since 2023. That is a pretty impressive mark, considering the top-to-bottom talent of all the teams in the BCFC. Perhaps the Huskers are building something promising behind the brilliant coaching of Bob Reist, who has helped the team make the playoffs in three straight seasons.

Prince George Kodiaks (Prince George, B.C.)

• Venue: Masich Place Stadium
• Head coach: TBD
• 2025 record: 5-4 (3rd)
• Championships: none
• Best season: 2025, went 5-4, making playoffs for the first time in history

The Prince George Kodiaks are the CJFL's second-youngest franchise, founded only in 2022. Led by former CFL veteran kicker/punter Jamie Boreham, the Kodiaks have gradually progressed into a solid CJFL team capable of advancing to another level soon. Boreham has been brilliant since signing on in 2023 after a three-season tenure as head coach with the Okanagan Sun. Just this past season, Boreham helped lead the Kodiaks to the playoffs for the first time in their franchise history and was named the Gordon Currie Coach of the Year in the CJFL for 2025. The Kodiaks also managed 28.6 points per game, the third-highest mark in British Columbia. A third-place finish this past season may be emblematic of the positives that could come in the Kodiaks' near future.

Vancouver Island Raiders (Nanaimo, B.C.)

• Venue: Q'unq'inuqwsuxw Stadium
• Head coach: Shawn Arabsky
• 2025 record: 5-4 (4th)
• Championships: Three Canadian Bowls (2006, '08, '09), eight BCFC titles
• Best seasons: 2006 and '09, went undefeated and won the Canadian Bowl in both seasons.

Founded only 20 years ago, the VI Raiders have achieved remarkable success in a short time, winning an astonishing three national titles in a four-season span, led by future five-time Grey Cup champion running back Andrew Harris, now their Director of Football Operations. They have cooled off in national competition, but remain a dangerous presence in the BCFC, with a combined eight conference championships; however, they have not won since 2017. This past season, the Raiders finished fourth in B.C. with a 5-4 record and gave up the third fewest total points. That marks a significant improvement from the low they reached back in 2023, when they went winless, before improving to a four-win mark in '24. 2026 may bring another step forward in the rejuvenation process of one of Canada's most vaunted junior football teams.

Westshore Rebels (Langford, B.C.)

• Venue: Westhills Stadium

• Head coach: Connor Bryan
• 2025 record: 7-3 (2nd)
• Championships: none
• Best season: 2023, defeated Okanagan in Cullen Cup, lost Canadian Bowl 17-10 to Saskatoon

The Westshore Rebels, in their current iteration, are one of Canada's most successful junior football programs, consistently recruiting top talent from across the country and having strong access to players in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Previously based in Victoria, the Rebels have appeared in three national title games but have failed to emerge victorious, with two of the three losses coming against the dominant Saskatoon Hilltops. The Rebels and the Okanagan Sun have struck up a rivalry as B.C.'s two biggest junior football powers in the last two years, with the former looking as if they will break through any year now on the national stage. This past season, the Rebels lost 23-17 to the Sun in a close Cullen Cup game. The next step is to establish themselves as the preeminent team in the BCFC and add a Canadian Bowl to their surprisingly barren trophy cabinet under the direction of new head coach, Connor Bryan, who replaced Mark Townsend at the end of last season.

Okanagan Sun (Kelowna, B.C.)

• Venue: Apple Bowl
• Head coach: Travis Miller
• 2025 record: 10-0 (1st)
• Championships: Three Canadian Bowls (1988, 2000, '22)
• Best season: 2022, beat Regina Thunder 21-19 in Canadian Bowl

The BCFC's Okanagan Sun has long been considered one of Canada's most potent and respected junior football programs. One figure that signifies their dominance is their 25 consecutive winning seasons, spanning from 1982 to 2006. With three Canadian Bowl titles, tied for the most in British Columbia, the Sun have seen the majority of their success in the 21st century, with two of those championships coming in 2000 and 2022, along with seven total appearances since the turn of the century. Most recently, the Sun have enjoyed back-to-back undefeated regular seasons and have appeared in the last two national title games, losing to the St. Clair Saints and the Hilltops, respectively. Coaching has been top-notch, the talent coming in is producing at a high level, and the Sun have established the biggest foothold over the BCFC in recent years, making it a top destination for player development. Now, with all of that in place, the Sun have one more task to complete before they could be considered Canada's best junior football team in the league's current state: win the Canadian Bowl for the fourth time in team history.

PFC (Prairie Football Conference)

Winnipeg Rifles (Winnipeg, MB)

• Venue: Maple Grove Park

• Head coach: Geordie Wilson
• 2025 record: 4-4 (3rd)
• Championships: zero
• Best season: 2005, went 7-1 and won their first playoff game

The Winnipeg Rifles have long been a middle-of-the-pack team in the PFC. They tend to finish around .500 and, unfortunately for them, are something of a perennial playoff team, but keep having the misfortune of meeting the Saskatoon Hilltops in the first round. That was the case once again this past season, 2025, as the Rifles finished 4-4, good for third place in the PFC, but lost 60-26 to Saskatoon in the playoffs. Their last playoff victory came in 2021, when they defeated the Edmonton Wildcats 29-18 in the PFC quarterfinal.

Edmonton Wildcats (Sherwood Park, AB)

• Venue: Emerald Hill Sports Pavilion

• Head coach: Kevin Wuthrich
• 2025 record: 2-6
• Championships: Three Canadian Bowls (1967, '77, '83)
• Best season: 1983, won the Canadian Bowl

One of two Edmonton-based teams in the CJFL, the Wildcats have recorded a rich history since their founding back in 1948, with three Canadian Bowl titles in 1967, '77, and '83. A top producer of prairie football talent, the Wildcats also enjoy a strong foothold in their community. In total, the Wildcats have played in the national championship game five times, but the two most recent appearances, 2006 and '09, ended up in losses to the Vancouver Island Raiders. The Wildcats have not seen the same level of national championship and 21st-century success as their city rivals, the Huskies; however, coincidentally, and somewhat comically enough, the Wildcats have won more conference titles than the Huskies have. The last time they made the playoffs was in 2021, when they lost to the Winnipeg Rifles 29-18. Before that, their last playoff appearance came nine years earlier, back in 2012. Considering that 2022 and '23 brought only one win for the Wildcats, back-to-back 2-6 seasons in 2024 and '25 could signal that growth is on the way. As well as the fact that they have beaten the Huskies now two years straight.

Calgary Colts (Calgary, AB)

• Venue: Shouldice Athletic Park

• Head coach: Elie Bouka
• 2025 record: 2-6 (6th)
• Championships: Two Canadian Bowls (1989 '90)
• Best season: 1990, won the Canadian Bowl

The Calgary Colts are somewhat of an anomaly. In 1989 and 1990, the Colts won back-to-back national championships, joining a small group of four current teams that have achieved repeat titles. In fact, the only other team to do it in the PFC is the Saskatoon Hilltops. However, since then, the Colts have struggled to regain and sustain that national contender status, which has since fallen to other teams within the Prairies, as Calgary has not returned to the big dance since 1990. In 2025, the Colts saw their worst season finish since 2022, matching their 2-6 record but finishing last in the PFC.

Edmonton Huskies (Edmonton, AB)

• Venue: Jasper Place Bowl

• Head coach: Marshal Klein
• 2025 record: 3-5 (4th)
• Championships: Five Canadian Bowls (1962, '63, '64, 2004, '05)
• Best season: 2005

One of the PFC's most historically dominant teams, the Edmonton Huskies are five-time national champions, with their two most recent wins coming in back-to-back seasons in 2004 and '05. Since then, they have proven to be a consistently strong team, finishing around third or fourth place each year. That was also the case this past season, as the Huskies compiled a 3-5 record and made the playoffs for the fourth year in a row, losing to first-place Regina 49-10 in the opening round. Overall, many things will have to fall their way for them to take that next step and consistently battle for first-place finishes against Saskatoon and Regina. However, the Huskies have the history, reputation, and grit to make that leap. But first, they must get back on track against their city rivals, the Wildcats, who have defeated the black and gold two years in a row.

Regina Thunder (Regina, SK)

• Venue: Mosaic Stadium

• Head coach: Scott MacAulay
• 2025 record: 7-1 (1st)
• Championships: One Canadian Bowl, 2013
• Best season: 2013

In 1999, the Regina Rams of the CJFL joined the Canada West conference of the CIAU, now known as U SPORTS. Founded in 1954, the Rams dominated the Canadian junior football scene for 45 years, winning 15 Canadian junior championships. After agreeing to partner with the university, the Regina community banded together to form a new junior team, which would soon be called the Thunder. They share a rivalry with the Saskatoon Hilltops and play for the Shrine Bowl each year, which is awarded to the team with the highest point total from their two games. It took some time, but after a conference title game appearance in 2010, the Thunder saw their best season yet in 2013, defeating Saskatoon, who at the time were consecutive three-time national champions, in the PFC Final. They would go on to beat the V.I. Raiders 55-26 in the Canadian Bowl that year at home in Mosaic Stadium for their first and only national title. Since then, Regina has appeared in one other Canadian Bowl game, a close 21-19 loss to Okanagan back in 2022 after finishing first in the conference, and has traded blows with Saskatoon for first and second place in the PFC. This past season, they reached first place again but fell 30-27 to the Hilltops in the PFC Final.

Saskatoon Hilltops (Saskatoon, SK)

• Venue: Saskatoon Minor Field at Gordon Howe Park

• Head coach: Tom Sargeant
• 2025 record: 6-2 (2nd)
• Championships: 24 Canadian Bowls
• Best seasons: Three-year span (2016, '17, '18), three Canadian Bowls

The granddaddy of all CJFL teams, the Saskatoon Hilltops have won the most national titles in history, 24. Between 2014 and 2019, Saskatoon won all six national championships and also had six undefeated seasons in its history. Before the 2010s, they ruled the 2000s, winning five Canadian Bowl titles between 2001 and 2010. It is pretty difficult to overstate how dominant they have been across so many seasons. Led by longtime head coach Tom Sargeant, the Hilltops captured the most recent national title in 2025, defeating an undefeated Okanagan Sun squad 21-18. They carry their rich history with them whenever they play and benefit from a robust recruiting pool in the Prairies, where football is arguably as big as anywhere else in Canada. Unsurprisingly, they have owned the PFC for the better part of 25 years and have never let another threat get too big for its britches for too long. As long as Coach Sargeant is at the helm, it is logical to expect Saskatoon to be a force to be reckoned with each season.

OFC (Ontario Football Conference)

Sault Ste. Marie Cougars (Sault Ste. Marie, ON)

• Venue: Rocky DiPietro Field
• Head coach: Paul Orazietti
• 2025 record: 4-4 (4th)
• Championships: none
• Best season: 2025

The Sault Ste. Marie Cougars are the CJFL's newest team, having played only one season in 2025. In their first season, the Cougars finished 4-4 and 4th in the OFC. Their record allowed them to make the playoffs in their first ever season, where they fought formidably against the reigning Canadian Bowl champion St. Clair Saints but ultimately fell 49-37. They showed great promise on both sides of the ball, and Coach Orazietti and his staff surely have a positive outlook ahead of the 2026 season based on their performances last year.

Quinte Riptides (Belleville, ON)

• Venue: Mary Ann Sills Park
• Head Coach: Leith Fisken
• 2025 record: 3-5 (5th)
• Championships: none
• Best season: 2024

Known as the Quinte Skyhawks until early 2026, this organization began as a youth-driven team until 2021, when the CJFL granted them expansion to become the league's 18th team. Their best season came in 2024, when they finished third in Ontario with a 5-3 record, behind St. Clair and London, and even won their opening playoff game against GTA in an unusual 1-0 affair. This past season, Quinte struggled, finishing below .500 with three wins and five losses. Earlier this year, in January, the Skyhawks organization rebranded itself as the Quinte Riptides with a new logo and colour scheme for 2026 and the foreseeable future.

Ottawa Sooners (Ottawa, ON)

• Venue: Keith Harris Stadium

• Head coach: Tony Canonico
• 2025 record: 1-7 (6th)
• Championships 4 (1974, 1979, 1984, 1992)
• Best season: 1992

The Ottawa Sooners are Ontario's most successful CJFL franchise, with four Canadian Bowl titles won in the nation's capital over a 60-plus-year span. Competing in the CJFL from 1960 to 1995, the Sooners moved to the QJFL, where they won three championships, before returning to the CJFL in 2009. Since then, Ottawa has been a consistent contender in the OFC, frequently finishing in and around the top five. This past season, the Sooners had one of their worst finishes since returning to the CJFL, with only one win, good for sixth place in Ontario. After a struggle to score points in 2025, a new coaching regime has been established in Ottawa, as the Sooners hired Tony Canonico to be the team's new head coach ahead of the 2026 season. The orange and black hope that Canonico can bring the glory days of Sooners football back to the Canadian junior football landscape for good.

London Beefeaters (London, ON)

• Venue: Citywide Sports Park

• Head coach: Scott Wilkinson
• 2025 record: 6-2 (2nd)
• Championships: none
• Best season: 2021

Founded back in 1975, the London Beefeaters are one of Ontario's most storied franchises, despite never winning a national championship. Playing in a football hotbed of a city, most of their dominance has come after the turn of the century, with the Beefs winning three Ontario championships in the span of nine seasons from 2012 to 2021. This span also saw them reach the Canadian Bowl in '21, a game which they hosted. The Beefeaters are one of the best talent-development sides in the league, with numerous alums drafted into the CFL. In 2025, London, a predominantly rushing team, finished the regular season in second place in the OFC with a 6-2 record, but was eventually bested in OT by a tough Hamilton Hurricanes team 24-23. Ahead of 2026, London has also gone in a different direction at head coach, hiring Scott Wilkinson, a decision they hope will finally help them overcome their rival, the St. Clair Saints.

Hamilton Hurricanes (Hamilton, ON)

• Head coach: Barry Emo
• Venue: Hamilton Stadium
• 2025 record: 6-2 (3rd)
• Championships: One (1972)
• Best season: 1972

Some teams are so tied to their city's identity that the style of play they employ often reflects the city's attitude. The Hamilton Hurricanes are one of those teams. Sharing the city with the CFL's Tiger-Cats, the Hurricanes have seen much success over the years since their founding in 1963 by playing a brand of tough, gritty, swarming football. They won the Canadian Bowl in 1972, going a perfect 10-0 and defeating the Regina Rams 33-8 in the final in Saskatoon. After that, the Canes would make it to six more national title games but failed to bring any of them back to the Steel City, with their last appearance coming in 1993, two years before they folded in '95 due to financial issues. The team would be resurrected in 2008 and would win four OFC titles from '08 to 2018. This past season, the Hurricanes finished 3rd in the OFC with a 6-2 record and advanced to the OFC title game, their first appearance since 2018. They would lose that game to the defending national champs, St. Clair Saints, but what was made clear during the 2025 season was that the Canes are back in business and are here to remain in the upper tier of the OFC.

St. Clair Saints (Windsor, ON)

• Venue: St. Clair College Sports Park
• Head coach: Mike LaChance
• 2025 record: 8-0 (1st)
• Championships: Four (1952, '54, 1999, 2024)
• Best season: 2024

Originally known as the Windsor AKO Fratmen until purchased by St. Clair's Student Athletic Association in 2020, the St. Clair Saints are the current Ontario champions. With a strong recruiting focus on the best players and a systematic coaching approach, it's been a very pleasant five years for brass at St. Clair. Since that rebrand in 2020, the Saints have finished 1st in Ontario every season, with only 1 regular-season loss. In 2024, the Saints won their first Canadian Bowl in their new era since leaving the Fratmen moniker behind, marking their first national title since 1999 and also their first appearance in the Canadian Bowl since then. In 2025, St. Clair defeated the gritty Hamilton Hurricanes in a blowout 49-0 home win in the OFC title game, but failed to reach the national stage once again, falling 34-19 in a muddy battle against the mighty Okanagan Sun in Kelowna, B.C, whilst having the Peter Dalla Riva Offensive Player of the Year on their roster in QB, Matt Guenette. If anything has become a recurring theme in the OFC over the last half-decade, it is a pencilled-in first-place finish for LaChance's St. Clair Saints in the regular season before embarking on another hopeful postseason run to the promised land. They will truly need every ounce of what has worked for them in the past to continue working for them if they hope to retain their mantle as Kings of Ontario in 2026, as the OFC is now shortened by one team. The likes of London, Hamilton, and Sault College are getting hungrier to take down the poster children of Ontario junior football success.