The Canadian Major Football League (CMFL) is the national governing body for semi-pro

Canadian football Canadian football, or simply football, is a Sports in Canada, sport in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete on a field long and wide, attempting to advance a Ball (gridiron football), pointed oval-shaped ball into the opposi ...

(formally known as the Canadian Senior Football League), dedicated to advocating for the promotion of Canadian senior football. The CMFL was formed in 1999 by the

Alberta Football League The Alberta Football League (AFL) is an amateur Canadian football league. The league's schedule runs from the start of June through to the end of September. The league currently consists of six teams: Airdrie Irish, Calgary Gators, Calgary Wol ...

(AFL) and Manitoba Football League (MFL) in attempt to crown the amateur national champion of

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

, and replaced the ''Canadian Senior Intermediate championship game''. Since 2002 the game has been played between the AFL and

Northern Football Conference The Northern Football Conference (NFC) is a semi-professional Canadian football league with franchises based primarily in Ontario, Canada. The league consists of five teams and runs from May until mid-August. It's the oldest running senior amat ...

(NFC) league champions. The two leagues cooperate but remain legally separate entities. In 2024 the two leagues reaffirm the agreement, after several teams split from the NFC and founded the Ontario Power 5 Football League.

Trophy

The participating teams compete for the Sid Forster Memorial Trophy, emblematic of the Canadian Major Football Championship. The permanent trophy was provided by the NFC in memory of long-time

Sudbury Spartans The Sudbury Spartans are an amateur gridiron football team based in the city of Greater Sudbury, Ontario. Established in 1952, it is the longest continuously operating sports organization in Sudbury. The Spartans have won more Northern Football Co ...

head coach and

Canadian Football Hall of Fame The Canadian Football Hall of Fame (CFHOF) is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates achievements in Canadian football. It is maintained by the Canadian Football League (CFL). It includes displays about the CFL, ...

member Sid Forester, who died in 1994. The trophy stays in possession of the game winner for the year following their victory.

Rules

CMFL games are played under the host conference Canadian amateur rules. When the AFL hosts * Three downs * One yard line of restraint * Cut block rule to include; running backs only, within the tackle box, 5 yards deep, on blitzing players though A and B gap, no engaged blitzing player may be cut. When the NFC hosts *Four downs *Zero yard line of restraint *Cut block rule to include: The Canadian Amateur Rule Book for Tackle Football, which is blocking below the waist is allowed anywhere within the close line play area, which by rule is 2 yards on either side of the line of scrimmage and between the tackles.

Forster Memorial Trophy games

Champions

''Active franchise in bold.''

References

{{Amateur gridiron football leagues in Canada 2 1999 establishments in Canada Sports leagues established in 1999

Trophy

Rules

Forster Memorial Trophy games

Champions

See also

References