The coronavirus pandemic does not allow professional football in Canada: the CFL has cancelled the 2020 season.

The Canadian football league CFL fought for a long time for one season, but now had to draw the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic: 2020 will not be played, the season has been cancelled.

“Feeling committed to the future”
Commissioner Randy Ambrosie emphasized that the decision was made with the future of the CFL in mind: “We are committed to the year 2021, the future of our league and the pursuit of our vision of a bigger, stronger and more global CFL.

The nine-team league had long hoped for a shortened season but, unlike other North American leagues, it does not have a billion-dollar TV deal but is largely dependent on viewer revenues, which would have been lost either way. Also with the plan to play the season in Winnipeg.

The league had also been trying to find financing until the very end, which involved a state interest-free loan of 23.7 million US dollars.

But even that didn’t work out, which is why a season would have been a major financial loss, which would have jeopardised the future of the league. A necessary permit from the health authorities was also not yet available.