CFL governors voted unanimously to move forward with the possibility of adding a franchise in Quebec City, with the league calling it a leading contender for expansion.
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The Canadian Football League has taken a significant step toward potential expansion, with its nine governors voting unanimously on Sept. 9 to move forward with the possibility of adding a franchise in Quebec City.
The unanimous vote does not mean Quebec City has been awarded the league’s 10th team, but it advances the process for a market that has been discussed as a CFL destination for several years. CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston told TVA that the league had “good discussions” with a local group described as serious and determined to bring CFL football to the region.
The CFL later confirmed to Sportsnet that Quebec City is a “leading contender” for expansion, while noting that discussions remain ongoing. The league has previously operated with nine teams, and it has not added a new franchise since the Ottawa Redblacks began play in 2014.
If the league proceeds, Quebec City could potentially gain its new franchise as early as 2030 or 2031, according to the reporting summarized in the available material. A central factor will be securing a suitable stadium site, and current plans discussed in the material call for a new 25,000-seat open-air stadium on the former Colisée de Québec site.
Construction for the proposed venue is estimated at about $350 million in the available details. Quebec City has long drawn interest from the CFL because of the popularity of Université Laval’s Rouge et Or football program, with the city previously referenced by CFL officials as the league explored options beyond its current nine-team lineup.
For Canadian football fans, the governors’ vote represents one of the clearer signals yet that the CFL may be moving toward expanding its footprint again. While the league still has work to do before a team is officially awarded, the decision to advance talks in Quebec City suggests expansion could return to the league’s short-to-medium planning horizon, provided stadium and other requirements are met.
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