The Game

A quick guide to the rules of the Canadian Football League.

The Field

The CFL playing field is 110 yards long and 65 yards wide. Each end zone is 20 yards deep. The field is marked every five yards with lines extending across the width of the field from the two outside boundaries, known as the sidelines. Twenty-four yards in from each sideline, lines known as hash marks serve as yardage markers.

Vertical goal posts are centered on each goal line. The distance between the two uprights is 18 feet, 6 inches. The uprights extend to a height of 40 feet and are supported by a crossbar parallel to the ground at a height of 10 feet.

The Ball

The red leather ball is inflated to a pressure not less than 12.5 pounds per square inch nor greater than 13.5 psi. A regulation CFL football is not less than 11 inches long nor greater than 11.25 inches. The exposed laces cannot be more than 4 3/8 inches in length and 1 1/8 inches in width. The ball weighs between 14 and 15 ounces.

Dead Ball

The ball is dead:

• Whenever an on-field official blows his whistle;
• When an official has signaled a score;
• When the ball goes out of bounds;
• When a forward pass is ruled incomplete;
• When a kicked ball strikes the opponents goal post in flight;
• When a ball carrier or pass receiver is tackled and his forward progress has been halted;
• When the quarterback is behind the line of scrimmage and firmly in the grasp and control of the tackler to the extent that he cannot throw the ball;
• When a ball carrier is tackled and driven back towards his goal line;
• When a ball carrier is contacted by an opponent and loses his balance so that a portion of his body other than his feet or hands touches the ground;
• When the quarterback intentionally kneels to the ground in the final 3 minutes of a half;
• When a quarterback slides feet first to the ground when running;
• When a player kneels on the ground in his own end zone;
• When a ball carrier is on the ground and, in the judgment of the official, is not attempting to advance the ball.

Timing

A CFL game is 60 minutes in duration divided into four 15-minute periods, known as quarters. Goals are changed at the end of the first and third quarters. The second half begins exactly 14 minutes after the conclusion of the first half.

Clock stoppages: game clock is stopped

• When a score has been made;
• When the ball crosses the sidelines, which means going out of bounds;
• When a forward pass is incomplete;
• For the assessment of penalties;
• For delay caused by a player injury;
• When time expires at the end of each quarter;
• When the ball becomes dead after the three-minute warning is given in any half;
• When a player requests a time out;
• For a convert attempt during the last three minutes of a half or in overtime;
• When the referee deems it necessary to suspend play.

Time in

The clock will start running again on the referee's signal: When the ball is touched following a kickoff; When the ball is ready to be put into play.

Time-outs

Each team is allowed one 30-second time out in each half.

Out of bounds

The ball is considered out of bounds when it touches a sideline, sideline within the goal area, dead-ball line at the back of the endzone or the ground or any object beyond these lines. The ball is also considered out of bounds when a player in possession of the ball touches a sideline, sideline within the goal area, dead-ball line or the ground or any object beyond these lines.

Officials

There are seven on-field officials for a CFL game. The referee is charge of all proceedings. He is supported by an umpire, field judge, back judge, side judge, head linesman and line judge.

Scoring

• Touchdown - 6 points
• Field goal - 3 points
• Safety touch - 2 points
• Missed field goal or punt into the endzone - 1 point
• Kicked convert - 1 point
• Convert by run or pass - 2 points

A touchdown is scored when a player carries ball into the opposing team's endzone or if the ball crosses the plane of the goal line.

A field goal is scored when a kicker propels the ball over the cross bar and between the uprights.

A safety touch is scored when the ball becomes dead within the possession of a team inside it own endzone.

A single point is awarded on a punt or missed field goal when a player possessing the ball in his own endzone kneels to the ground or leaves the endzone by crossing the sideline or dead-ball line.

Converts follow touchdowns. A ball kicked through the uprights and over the crossbar is worth one point. Two points are awarded if a team runs or passes the ball across the goal line.

Series of downs

A team has three downs to gain a distance of 10 yards or more. After two attempts a team may punt the ball to the opposition, attempt a field goal or run another play. If after that third play the team has not gained at least 10 yards the ball will be awarded to the opposition. A new series of downs is awarded when a team gains at least 10 yards within a series of three plays.

Passing

A legal forward pass is thrown by a player, usually the quarterback, from behind the line of scrimmage, the yard line where the ball is put into play, to an eligible receiver closer to the opposing goal line. Eligible receivers wear numbers 0-30 or 70-99. Players with numbers from 40-69 are not eligible to catch forward passes. Only one forward is allowed per play. Teammates are allowed to throw passes laterally, or behind them, as often as wished. A forward pass is considered completed when it travels from a player situated behind the line of scrimmage to a teammate closer the opposing goal line without the ball touching the ground or goal post apparatus. A pass is considered incomplete when the ball strikes the ground, goal post, lands out of bounds or is caught by a player out of bounds.

Tie Games

In case of a tie, each team has a maximum of two ball possessions. A team takes possession of the ball on the 35-yard line of the opposing team. If Team A scores, Team B will need to match that score. The team scoring the most points after one or two possessions is declared the winner. If the teams score equal points on their two possessions, the game is declared a tie.

Penalties