# Thanksgiving Day Classic

The Thanksgiving Day Classic (French: Classique de jour de l'Action de grâce) is an annual doubleheader held on Thanksgiving in the Canadian Football League (CFL). It is typically one of two days in which the league plays on a Monday afternoon; the other is the Labour Day Classic. Purolator is the presenting sponsor of the event as of 2022.
The Montreal Alouettes have hosted the Thanksgiving Day Classic most years since 1997 and every year since 2006. This was originally started to compensate for not being part of the Labour Day Classic festivities; Montreal and the various Ottawa franchises normally play on Labour Day when both franchises are active. The Alouettes' permanent hosting of Thanksgiving remained in place after Ottawa returned to the league in 2014, with the Ottawa Redblacks serving as the permanent away team since 2021. Through the 2013 season, there were two Thanksgiving Day Classics each year, with the second being hosted by a rotating team; Montreal has been the lone host all but once since 2015, and Ottawa vs. Montreal the lone matchup every year since 2022. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats played CFL games annually in all but three years between 1958 and 1982, hosting the vast majority of them; Hamilton also hosted three times in four years from 1990 to 1993 and again hosted Thanksgiving games in 2013 and 2021.
Since the CFL's creation in 1958 through 2025, there will have been 127 games played on Thanksgiving Day. The 2019 CFL season was the first and, to date, only time in league history to feature no games on Thanksgiving Day. The league scheduled the Classic for the 2020 CFL season, with one game being played on Thanksgiving Day. However, due to financial issues stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, the entire 2020 CFL season was cancelled and this game was not played.
Despite Canadian Thanksgiving being a legal holiday in the United States (Columbus Day at the time), none of the CFL's American teams ever played the Thanksgiving Day Classic during the league's presence there in the mid-1990s.

## Possible discontinuation or reformatting

In late 2017, a proposal emerged to move the start of the CFL season to five or six weeks earlier than it begins in the present day, so that the Grey Cup would have been held on the third weekend of October, as opposed to the fourth Sunday in November as it stands as of 2024. The change, designed to accommodate a potential U.S. television agreement with NFL Network, had support among CFL owners and would have, if approved, taken effect for the 2019 CFL season. If the proposal had taken effect, Thanksgiving Day weekend would have overlaped with the CFL's division championship games. While this change was not implemented and the season schedule remained the same, the league did not schedule any Thanksgiving Day games in 2019. The league has indicated that such a schedule change would have needed to be negotiated in the league's collective bargaining agreement with the players' association. The CBA at the time expired in 2019; at the same time, the league renewed its existing agreement with ESPN, making a schedule change unnecessary, and the new CBA approved that year made no provision for a change.

## Results
### By year

| Year | Visiting Team | Score | Home Team | Score | Source |
| 1958 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 13 | Montreal Alouettes | 34 | |
| 1958 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 0 | Toronto Argonauts | 37 | |
| 1958 | BC Lions | 34 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 16 | |
| 1958 | Edmonton Eskimos | 19 | Calgary Stampeders | 14 | |
| 1959 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 28 | Montreal Alouettes | 12 | |
| 1959 | Toronto Argonauts | 7 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 20 | |
| 1959 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 27 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 14 | |
| 1959 | Calgary Stampeders | 41 | Edmonton Eskimos | 23 | |
| 1960 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 51 | Montreal Alouettes | 21 | |
| 1960 | Toronto Argonauts | 16 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 20 | |
| 1960 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 48 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 7 | |
| 1961 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 14 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 10 | |
| 1961 | BC Lions | 7 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 17 | |
| 1962 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 26 | Montreal Alouettes | 24 | |
| 1962 | Edmonton Eskimos | 20 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 28 | |
| 1963 | Edmonton Eskimos | 17 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 28 | |
| 1963 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 8 | Calgary Stampeders | 14 | |
| 1964 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 1 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 23 | |
| 1964 | Montreal Alouettes | 21 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 20 | |
| 1964 | Toronto Argonauts | 14 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 31 | |
| 1965 | Calgary Stampeders | 36 | Montreal Alouettes | 21 | |
| 1965 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 23 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 25 | |
| 1965 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 20 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 21 | |
| 1966 | Toronto Argonauts | 9 | Montreal Alouettes | 8 | |
| 1966 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 7 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 8 | |
| 1966 | BC Lions | 19 | Edmonton Eskimos | 7 | |
| 1967 | Montreal Alouettes | 6 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 40 | |
| 1967 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 21 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 22 | |
| 1968 | BC Lions | 13 | Montreal Alouettes | 4 | |
| 1968 | Calgary Stampeders | 15 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 19 | |
| 1969 | Toronto Argonauts | 17 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 7 | |
| 1969 | Montreal Alouettes | 14 | Edmonton Eskimos | 20 | |
| 1970 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 17 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 24 | |
| 1970 | Calgary Stampeders | 13 | Edmonton Eskimos | 16 | |
| 1971 | BC Lions | 3 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 36 | |
| 1971 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 24 | Calgary Stampeders | 17 | |
| 1972 | Calgary Stampeders | 30 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 45 | |
| 1972 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 15 | Edmonton Eskimos | 24 | |
| 1973 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 14 | Edmonton Eskimos | 14 | |
| 1973 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 16 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 13 | |
| 1973 | Calgary Stampeders | 0 | Montreal Alouettes | 45 | |
| 1974 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 19 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 12 | |
| 1974 | Calgary Stampeders | 24 | Edmonton Eskimos | 10 | |
| 1975 | Toronto Argonauts | 13 | Montreal Alouettes | 24 | |
| 1975 | Calgary Stampeders | 12 | Edmonton Eskimos | 21 | |
| 1976 | Montreal Alouettes | 34 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 9 | |
| 1976 | BC Lions | 12 | Edmonton Eskimos | 16 | |
| 1977 | Toronto Argonauts | 43 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 2 | |
| 1977 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 24 | Edmonton Eskimos | 31 | |
| 1978 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 5 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 25 | |
| 1978 | BC Lions | 15 | Edmonton Eskimos | 3 | |
| 1979 | Toronto Argonauts | 3 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 42 | |
| 1979 | Calgary Stampeders | 16 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 13 | |
| 1979 | Montreal Alouettes | 6 | Edmonton Eskimos | 47 | |
| 1980 | Calgary Stampeders | 28 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 30 | |
| 1980 | BC Lions | 9 | Edmonton Eskimos | 33 | |
| 1981 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 28 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 12 | |
| 1981 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 6 | Edmonton Eskimos | 24 | |
| 1982 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 24 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 24 | |
| 1982 | Toronto Argonauts | 35 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 39 | |
| 1983 | BC Lions | 30 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 18 | |
| 1984 | Calgary Stampeders | 8 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 46 | |
| 1985 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 14 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 51 | |
| 1985 | Toronto Argonauts | 17 | Calgary Stampeders | 28 | |
| 1986 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 18 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 16 | |
| 1986 | Toronto Argonauts | 14 | Calgary Stampeders | 37 | |
| 1987 | Edmonton Eskimos | 20 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 38 | |
| 1988 | Edmonton Eskimos | 17 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 21 | |
| 1989 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 21 | Toronto Argonauts | 49 | |
| 1989 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 7 | Edmonton Eskimos | 45 | |
| 1990 | Edmonton Eskimos | 23 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 25 | |
| 1991 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 21 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 42 | |
| 1992 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 49 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 47 | |
| 1993 | Toronto Argonauts | 20 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 28 | |
| 1994 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 24 | Calgary Stampeders | 28 | |
| 1995 | Calgary Stampeders | 41 | BC Lions | 27 | |
| 1995 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 20 | Toronto Argonauts | 31 | |
| 1996 | Montreal Alouettes | 25 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 18 | |
| 1996 | Toronto Argonauts | 23 | Calgary Stampeders | 30 | |
| 1997 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 13 | Calgary Stampeders | 31 | |
| 1998 | Toronto Argonauts | 40 | Montreal Alouettes | 13 | |
| 1998 | Edmonton Eskimos | 40 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 20 | |
| 1999 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 7 | Montreal Alouettes | 43 | |
| 1999 | Edmonton Eskimos | 26 | BC Lions | 20 | |
| 2000 | Edmonton Eskimos | 15 | Montreal Alouettes | 45 | |
| 2000 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 40 | BC Lions | 33 | |
| 2001 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 13 | Montreal Alouettes | 7 | |
| 2001 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 35 | Calgary Stampeders | 33 | |
| 2002 | Toronto Argonauts | 29 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 28 | (OT) |
| 2002 | Montreal Alouettes | 48 | Edmonton Eskimos | 30 | (OT) |
| 2003 | Toronto Argonauts | 15 | Ottawa Renegades | 21 | |
| 2003 | Calgary Stampeders | 22 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 24 | |
| 2004 | BC Lions | 16 | Toronto Argonauts | 22 | |
| 2004 | Montreal Alouettes | 19 | Edmonton Eskimos | 39 | |
| 2005 | Edmonton Eskimos | 17 | Toronto Argonauts | 13 | |
| 2005 | BC Lions | 23 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 44 | |
| 2006 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 8 | Montreal Alouettes | 35 | |
| 2006 | Edmonton Eskimos | 23 | Toronto Argonauts | 28 | |
| 2007 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 19 | Montreal Alouettes | 27 | |
| 2007 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 33 | Calgary Stampeders | 21 | |
| 2008 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 11 | Montreal Alouettes | 42 | |
| 2008 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 5 | Calgary Stampeders | 42 | |
| 2009 | Calgary Stampeders | 11 | Montreal Alouettes | 32 | |
| 2009 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 38 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 28 | |
| 2010 | Calgary Stampeders | 19 | Montreal Alouettes | 46 | |
| 2010 | BC Lions | 35 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 47 | |
| 2011 | Toronto Argonauts | 19 | Montreal Alouettes | 29 | |
| 2011 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 1 | Edmonton Eskimos | 17 | |
| 2012 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 27 | Montreal Alouettes | 22 | |
| 2012 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 36 | Toronto Argonauts | 10 | |
| 2013 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 34 | Montreal Alouettes | 27 | |
| 2013 | Toronto Argonauts | 18 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 24 | |
| 2014 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 9 | Montreal Alouettes | 40 | |
| 2014 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 9 | Edmonton Eskimos | 41 | |
| 2015 | Toronto Argonauts | 25 | Montreal Alouettes | 17 | |
| 2016 | Edmonton Eskimos | 40 | Montreal Alouettes | 20 | |
| 2016 | Calgary Stampeders | 48 | Toronto Argonauts | 20 | |
| 2017 | Edmonton Eskimos | 42 | Montreal Alouettes | 24 | |
| 2018 | Calgary Stampeders | 12 | Montreal Alouettes | 6 | |
| 2018 | Edmonton Eskimos | 12 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 19 | |
| 2019 | None | None | None | None | |
| 2020 | Toronto Argonauts vs. Montreal Alouettes cancelled | Toronto Argonauts vs. Montreal Alouettes cancelled | Toronto Argonauts vs. Montreal Alouettes cancelled | Toronto Argonauts vs. Montreal Alouettes cancelled | |
| 2021 | Ottawa Redblacks | 16 | Montreal Alouettes | 20 | |
| 2021 | Toronto Argonauts | 24 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 23 | |
| 2022 | Ottawa Redblacks | 24 | Montreal Alouettes | 18 | |
| 2023 | Ottawa Redblacks | 3 | Montreal Alouettes | 29 | |
| 2024 | Ottawa Redblacks | 12 | Montreal Alouettes | 19 | |
| 2025 | Ottawa Redblacks | | Montreal Alouettes | | |

### By appearance

| Appearances | Hosted | Team | Wins | Losses | Ties | Win % | Streak |
| 33 | 27 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 17 | 15 | 1 | .530 | W1 |
| 38 | 30 | Montreal Alouettes | 19 | 19 | 0 | .500 | W2 |
| 29 | 11 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 18 | 10 | 1 | .638 | L1 |
| 33 | 19 | Edmonton Eskimos/Elks | 19 | 13 | 1 | .591 | L1 |
| 28 | 11 | Calgary Stampeders | 14 | 14 | 0 | .500 | W2 |
| 28 | 8 | Toronto Argonauts | 11 | 17 | 0 | .393 | W1 |
| 23 | 10 | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 11 | 11 | 1 | .500 | W1 |
| 23 | 6 | Ottawa Rough Riders/Renegades/Redblacks | 9 | 14 | 0 | .391 | L2 |
| 15 | 3 | BC Lions | 5 | 10 | 0 | .333 | L6 |