The BC Lions have released key details about their two Kelowna Touchdown games scheduled for next summer.
Matches will be against the Calgary Stampeders on Saturday, June 27 and the Edmonton Elks on Saturday, July 4. Both games will kick off at 4:00 p.m. local time and will be played at the Apple Bowl, home of the CJFL's Okanagan Sun.
“On behalf of our owner Amar Doman and the entire Lions organization, we are excited, honored and look forward to this historic event in 2026,” Lions team president Duane Vienneau said in a statement.
“Kelowna and the entire Okanagan have long been a hotbed of great Lions fans. We look forward to bringing Kelowna home for two big games against our two biggest division rivals. The party in and around the two games will also give this week a 'mini-Grey Cup festival' feel.”
The Lions announced in September that they would play two regular-season games in Kelowna while BC Place is busy with the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will take place from June 11 to July 19 in various North American cities. Vancouver will play seven matches from June 13 to July 7.
The Apple Bowl, which recently hosted a record crowd of 6,200 for a Canadian Premier League football game this year, will be expanded to accommodate at least 17,500 fans in temporary stands for the duration of the CFL team. The maximum possible capacity is expected to be around 20,000 ventilators.
“As a proud British Columbian, I can't wait to lead the Lions into another historic CFL venture in our province,” said defenseman Nathan Rourke. “Heading to Kelowna to begin our home schedule will be a great opportunity for our team to bond. It will also be fun to get out into the community and interact with our great fans throughout the region.”
The full 2026 CFL schedule will be released on December 9, 2025, and tickets for the two Touchdown Kelowna games will be available to the general public on Thursday, February 19.
“Playing in Kelowna and the Okanagan is an incredible opportunity to showcase the CFL's expertise and strengthen our ties to these communities,” said CFL Commissioner Stuart Johnston. “This will be a must-attend event in one of the most exciting regions in the country. The Lions continue to demonstrate that they are truly a British Columbia team with a tremendous effort to engage fans across the province.”
The BC Lions finished second in the West Division standings in 2025 with an 11-7 record and beat the Calgary Stampeders in the West Semi-Finals before losing to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the West Final. Nathan Rourke threw for 5,290 yards, 31 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in 16 regular-season starts, posting an 11-5 record. He was also named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player.
The Lions ranked first in net offense, fourth in net defense and sixth with a minus-four turnover margin. James Butler rushed for 1,213 yards, Keon Hatcher led the CFL with 1,688 receiving yards and Micah Awe led the league with 117 tackles. British Columbia ranked third in attendance with an average attendance of 27,124, up 0.9 percent from the previous year.
