The Edmonton Elks are one win away from their first Grey Cup since 2015. To get it, Cody Fajardo has to beat the team he won his last one with.
Edmonton faces the Montreal Alouettes in the 113th Grey Cup on Sunday, Nov. 15, at McMahon Stadium in Calgary. Kickoff is 5 p.m. Alberta time.
The Elks got there by beating the BC Lions 28-16 in front of 40,182 fans at Commonwealth Stadium. Montreal beat Winnipeg 33-23 in the East Final.
Grey Cup 2026 at a glance
| Teams | Edmonton Elks (13-5) vs. Montreal Alouettes (14-4) |
| Date | Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026 |
| Kickoff | 5 p.m. Alberta time / 6 p.m. Eastern |
| Stadium | McMahon Stadium, 1817 Crowchild Trail NW, Calgary |
| Gates open | 3 p.m. |
| TV in Canada | TSN, CTV and RDS (French) |
| Streaming in Canada | TSN.ca, the TSN app and Crave |
| Outside Canada | CFL+ |
| Halftime | Riley Green |
| Anthem | Sarah McLachlan |
Why it’s 5 p.m., not 4
If you’re used to taking two hours off Eastern time, don’t this year.
Alberta switched to permanent Alberta Time on Nov. 1 and didn’t turn its clocks back. That puts Alberta one hour behind Eastern time for the winter, so the 6 p.m. Eastern kickoff is 5 p.m. in Edmonton and Calgary.
If a phone or TV guide shows the wrong time, the province says to install the latest software updates and turn on automatic date, time and time zone.
Fajardo vs. his old team
Fajardo was Montreal’s quarterback when the Alouettes won the 2023 Grey Cup. After Montreal lost the 2024 East Final, the Alouettes traded him to Edmonton. He’s since helped end the Elks’ five-year playoff drought.
The quarterback who replaced him is the one he’ll be facing. Davis Alexander was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player this season, and has led Montreal to back-to-back Grey Cups. In last year’s game, he threw three interceptions in a 25-17 loss to Saskatchewan.
The Edmonton ties run through Montreal’s front office and sideline, too:
Jason Maas, Montreal’s head coach, played most of his 11-year career in Edmonton, including three Grey Cups between 2002 and 2005. He also coached the Edmonton team from 2016 to 2019.
Danny Maciocia, Montreal’s general manager, worked in Edmonton from 2002 to 2010, as offensive coordinator, head coach and general manager. He’s also the one who traded Fajardo to Edmonton.
A rivalry with history
This is the 12th time these two franchises have met in a Grey Cup. Edmonton has won eight of the first 11.
| Year | Result |
|---|---|
| 1954 | Edmonton 26, Montreal 25 |
| 1955 | Edmonton 34, Montreal 19 |
| 1956 | Edmonton 50, Montreal 27 |
| 1974 | Montreal 20, Edmonton 7 |
| 1975 | Edmonton 9, Montreal 8 |
| 1977 | Montreal 41, Edmonton 6 |
| 1978 | Edmonton 20, Montreal 13 |
| 1979 | Edmonton 17, Montreal 9 |
| 2002 | Montreal 25, Edmonton 16 |
| 2003 | Edmonton 34, Montreal 22 |
| 2005 | Edmonton 38, Montreal 35 (OT) |
The last time they met for the Cup, Edmonton won 38-35 in overtime in 2005. Maas was on that team.
How they got here
Edmonton trailed BC 9-6 at halftime of the West Final. Fajardo ran in a touchdown in the third quarter, and after the Lions tied it, the Elks pulled away, with Fajardo hitting Austin Mack for a 23-yard touchdown. Fajardo finished 25-for-30 for 274 yards, with a touchdown in the air and one on the ground, and no interceptions. Edmonton didn’t turn the ball over.
Montreal beat Winnipeg 33-23 in front of 23,035 people at Percival Molson Stadium. Alexander threw for 373 yards and two touchdowns, including a 21-yard score to Tyler Snead with 1:11 left. Tyrice Beverette sacked Zach Collaros, forced a fumble and recovered it himself late in the fourth quarter. Receiver Tyson Philpot, named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian, caught nine passes for 129 yards.
What to watch on Sunday
The teams split their two regular-season games. Edmonton won the first 32-29, and Montreal won the rematch 48-30.
The matchup to watch: Montreal had the CFL’s best offence this year, at 420.9 net yards a game. Edmonton’s defence allowed the fewest, at 338.6.
Philpot is the player Edmonton has to contain. In the two regular-season games, he caught 18 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns.
Who’s performing
Halftime: Riley Green
National anthem: Sarah McLachlan
Kickoff show: James Barker Band
Pregame: Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor of Blue Rodeo
Gates open at 3 p.m. Get there early if you want to catch the pregame show.
Going to the game? Plan your trip
Tickets: go to the official Grey Cup listing on Ticketmaster for what’s left. Our Grey Cup ticket story explains how sales have gone.
Tailgate: a free, family-friendly tailgate runs from 1 to 5 p.m. in McMahon Stadium’s east parking lot.
CTrain: take the Red Line to Banff Trail Station.
Road closures: on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., University Drive NW is closed between 16 Avenue and 24 Avenue, except for marked taxis, rideshare and accredited vehicles. Parts of 23 Avenue and Banff Trail NW are also closed.
Pickups: if someone’s picking you up after the game, the City’s public pickup spot is on 24 Street NW, across Crowchild Trail from the stadium.
If it’s windy, dress for it. Calgary has had 100 km/h gusts this month, and McMahon is an open-air stadium.
Free Grey Cup Festival events before Sunday
The Grey Cup Festival runs at Stampede Park through Saturday, Nov. 14. Free events include:
Pancake breakfasts: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Lot 3
TELUS Family Zone: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., BMO Centre Halls A1 and A2
Street festival and outdoor entertainment: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Drone shows: 8:45 p.m., seen from Lot 3
The festival and the game are in different places. For the festival, take the Red Line to Victoria Park/Stampede Station. For the game, it’s Banff Trail Station.
See our full Grey Cup 2026 Calgary guide for the whole festival schedule.
Watching from home in Edmonton? The one thing to remember: Elks vs. Alouettes, Sunday at 5 p.m.
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