The Canadian Football League is preparing one of the most sweeping rule overhauls in its modern era. Commissioner Stewart Johnston announced a package of changes in Toronto that will be introduced over two seasons, with the league framing the plan as a way to make the game more entertaining without abandoning the elements that make it distinct.

The most visible shift comes in 2027, when the league will move goalposts to the back of the end zone and shrink the playing surface. End zones will be shortened from 20 yards to 15, the field will drop from 110 yards to 100, and the width will stay at 65 yards. Johnston said the aim was to trade some field goals for touchdowns while improving the experience in stadiums and at home. The league described the package as its most significant set of changes in decades.

The rule changes start before then. In 2026, the rouge will no longer include a single point for a missed field-goal attempt that sails wide of the posts. A single also will not be awarded when a punt or kickoff goes through or rolls out of the back or side of the end zone untouched by a returner. If a kick or punt settles in the end zone and the returner does not advance it, or takes a knee, the point remains. The league also plans to move benches to opposite sides of the field so substitutions do not require players to sprint as far across the surface.

The clock is changing too. A new 35-second play clock will begin automatically when the previous play is whistled dead, replacing the current system in which the 20-second clock does not start until an official starts it manually. That adjustment is meant to make tempo more consistent and cut down on dead time between snaps. The rules committee will still review the fine print in the offseason, because several downstream rules will need to be adjusted once the new geometry of the field is in place.

The proposal received unanimous approval from the CFL's lead governors, which include team owners and chairpersons. Johnston argued that the changes were carefully considered, based on data and analytics, and intended to improve an already strong product. The league is betting that the phased rollout will make the sport cleaner, faster and more appealing while still preserving the features that separate Canadian football from its American counterpart.