Come November, Calgary will be the hotbed for Canadian football for the first time in seven years.
The Calgary Stampeders have unveiled the brand, logo and vision for the Cenovus Energy 2026 Grey Cup Festival. Between Nov. 8-15, festival events will take place at McMahon Stadium and Stampede Grounds, ending with the 113th Grey Cup game on Sunday, Nov. 15.
Inspired by Calgary’s western tradition, the festival’s logo features six rivets depicting the nails in a horseshoe—and also the number of times the city has hosted the Grey Cup game, including 2026—and a rope outlining a graphic of Calgary’s skyline and the Bow and Elbow rivers.
The festival itself, set for November 8-14, will feature an indoor-outdoor street festival on Stampede Grounds, team parties and concerts, though details have yet to be announced.
Jay McNeil, President and former player for the Calgary Stampeders, said after two years of bidding and prep, the Grey Cup coming back to Calgary finally feels real.
“It is incredibly special to know that we are going to welcome a country to come and help us celebrate this game, this league and our incredible city,” he said.
On top of the some-$50 million average economic boost the event brings to its host, McNeil emphasized the importance of creating community impact.
“Hosting the Grey Cup is more than a week in November. It’s providing a lasting impact. As a long-term commitment to community investment, we will be delivering a legacy through the Calgary Stampeders community flag football fields, supported by a $500,000 donation by the Calgary Stampeders Foundation,” he said.
The three fields will be located in Fonda Park. The foundation is currently working with the City of Calgary to turn an underutilized greenspace into a year-round community asset, McNeil said.
Game-specific upgrades coming to McMahon Stadium, permanent fixes on the horizon
Alberta Minister of Tourism and Sport, Andrew Boitchenko, said that when proper infrastructure is in place, the provincial government is always supportive of major sporting events coming to Alberta. During a meeting with his counterparts across Canada, Botichenko tabled the idea of a federal committee designed to support aging infrastructure.
The current lifespan and age of McMahon Stadium is on their radar, he said, but beyond that, support from the federal government is needed.
For now, McMahon Stadium will be getting a facelift after the regular season. McNeil said that in accordance with the CFL’s Grey Cup bidding system, the Stampeders will be building concourses out into parking lot space, increasing press facilities, and building 14 additional suites in the stadium’s north endzone.
“It will be a very different McMahon stadium than you would see during the season,” he said.
Permanent facility upgrades are top of mind for Stamps staff. McNeil said Grey Cup planning has brought long-term conversations to the forefront.
“We’re all very aware that there are some challenges with McMahon Stadium; this certainly highlights that and gives us that opportunity to move forward.”
As in 2024, water use will be top of mind during the Stampeders. As they did nearly two years ago, the team is actively working with the city on game-day water management.
“We’re going to do that all through this regular season, and then talking about how we actually do for the Grey Cup as well. In that conversation, I would say that we’re probably a little bit early to put those plans in place, but we will be working with the city and make sure that we’re doing it the right thing.”
