For years, many people have wondered – why don’t the Saskatchewan Roughriders play their home pre-season game in Saskatoon when they are already holding their training camp at Griffiths Stadium?
Well, that will be the case next year as the C-F-L team announced that in May of next year, the Green and White will play their home pre-season game on the USask campus. No date or opponent was announced for the first Riders’ exhibition game to be played in Saskatoon since 1991. The opportunity came about when the Roughriders took on holding a 10th regular season game next year at Mosaic Stadium against the Argonauts. That’s because Toronto is hosting the 2026 F-I-F-A Men’s World Cup, conflicting with three potential Argo home games at B-MO Field. Following is the news release from the Roughriders, plus media scrums with Riders’ President and C-E-O Craig Reynolds and Huskies’ head coach Scott Flory plus a series of podium comments…..
DATE: August 15, 2025
RELEASE TIME: IMMEDIATELY
RELEASE: SR25-094
ROUGHRIDERS TO PLAY 2026 PRE-SEASON GAME IN SASKATOON
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are thrilled to announce that in 2026 the Club will bring a pre-season game to Saskatoon for the first time since 1991. The University of Saskatchewan, already the home of Coors Light Roughriders Training Camp, will also host the pre-season game at Griffiths Stadium.
Along with today’s announcement, the CFL shared that Rider Nation will be treated to even more football at Mosaic Stadium in 2026. With BMO Field hosting 2026 World Cup soccer events, both Roughriders-versus-Argonauts games will be held in Regina rather than in the traditional home-and-home matchup, giving Riders fans the rare opportunity to enjoy 10 regular-season home games.
For 2026, Roughrider Season Ticket Members’ packages will include 10 regular-season home games (rather than nine regular season games and one pre-season) plus a possible playoff game. Tickets for the Saskatoon pre-season game will be sold separately, with purchase and pre-sale details coming at a later date.
“None of this would have been possible without the support of some incredible partners, as it is a Herculean effort to move our game-day operations from Mosaic Stadium to Griffiths Stadium,” said Saskatchewan Roughriders President and CEO Craig Reynolds. “We are grateful for the support of Tourism Saskatchewan, the City of Saskatoon, Discover Saskatoon and the University of Saskatchewan for jumping in wholeheartedly to support us and make this special day a reality.”
The complete 2026 season schedule, including the dates of the Saskatoon pre-season game and the 10th home regular season game, will be unveiled in the offseason.
Quotes:
Government of Saskatchewan:
“Bringing a Saskatchewan Roughriders pre-season game to Saskatoon is a very exciting and unique opportunity for the city,” said the Honourable Alana Ross, Minister Responsible for Tourism Saskatchewan. “This is more than a football game — it’s a celebration of community pride, provincial unity, and the shared love of the game that brings our province together. We can’t wait to cheer loud for Rider Nation in Saskatoon next May.”
City of Saskatoon:
“We are absolutely thrilled to bring Rider football to Saskatoon! There is nothing quite like Rider Nation — and we know our community will proudly rise to the occasion to show just how deep the green and white runs here,” said Mayor Cynthia Block. “Hosting this pre-season game is more than just about football — it’s about celebrating our shared Saskatchewan spirit, supporting local businesses, and giving fans of all ages the chance to experience the excitement of Roughrider football right here at home. Let’s pack the stands and show the league what Rider Pride really looks like!”
Saskatchewan Roughriders
“Bringing a Roughrider game to Saskatoon for the first time in over 30 years is truly special,” said President and CEO Craig Reynolds. “The passion of our fans in Saskatoon and the surrounding area has fuelled us for decades and hosting this game at Griffiths Stadium is a celebration of that passion as well as a representation of what it means to be a team for the entire province. We couldn’t be more excited to share this moment with them in their own backyard and later in the season to offer Rider Nation a 10th high-energy, regular-season home game at Mosaic Stadium.”
University of Saskatchewan:
“We are thrilled to expand on our long-standing relationship with the Saskatchewan Roughriders by hosting a Canadian Football League pre-season game at Griffiths Stadium in 2026,” said USask President Peter Stoicheff. “This will be an exciting event for our university community, for the City of Saskatoon, and for football fans everywhere, and builds on the tradition of hosting the Riders training camp on our Saskatoon campus. The connection between the Roughriders organization and the university community continues to grow, with many Huskie football student-athletes moving on to play professionally with the Riders and across the CFL. We are also grateful to the provincial government’s multi-million-dollar investment in a safe, state-of-the-art playing surface at Griffiths Stadium that has made hosting this event possible.”
Discover Saskatoon
“Bringing the Roughriders to Saskatoon is a win both on and off the field,” said Steph Clovechok, CEO of Discover Saskatoon. “Major events like this fuel our hotels, restaurants and local businesses, creating jobs, boosting our economy, and showcasing our city on a provincial and national stage. We’re thrilled to work with our partners to make this game a moment our city will remember, and an example of the power of sport to drive economic and community growth.”
