CFL announces Ticats will host 2023 Grey Cup at Tim Hortons Field

The Canadian Football League (CFL) made a surprise announcement about the 2023 Grey Cup on Thursday and revealed its plans for the 108th Grey Cup in Hamilton this December.

The league says this year’s Grey Cup game scheduled for December 12 is expected to feature a full-capacity at Tim Hortons Field.

It will offer the full Grey Cup game experience, including fly-overs and pre-game and half-time entertainment.

A sold-out crowd would feature roughly 24,000 spectators in the stands, all of whom must be fully vaccinated to attend.

“We’re looking forward to hosting a thrilling championship caliber game day experience at a full capacity Tim Hortons Field in less than two months,” said Tiger-Cats Caretaker Bob Young in a statement.

The CFL also announced that Hamilton has been chosen to host the 2023 Grey Cup.

“We have worked very closely with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and their fellow teams across the country on this plan,” said CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie in a statement. “It’s exciting, responsible and fair. It delivers an exciting and complete championship game day experience for this year’s Grey Cup game, it responsibly modifies our plan for Grey Cup Week this year due to circumstances beyond our control, and it’s only fair to award another Grey Cup to Hamilton in 2023, so Hamilton gets an opportunity down the road to fully realize its bold and ambitious plans for hosting Grey Cup,” he said.

The 109th Grey Cup will take place in Saskatchewan in 2022 after that province’s plan to host the 2020 Grey Cup was cancelled at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Young said he was grateful for the opportunity to host two Grey Cup games in the span of three seasons.

“Hamilton hasn’t hosted the Grey Cup in 25 years and the League recognized that Tiger-Cats fans and Hamiltonians deserve the opportunity to host the full Grey Cup Festival experience in our city as originally intended, before the pandemic, without the lingering public health restrictions and limitations,” said Young.

Tickets go on sale for this year’s game next week for season ticket holders across the league, followed by the sale to the general public starting October 26.