CFL prepared for Olympic flag football, says Glen Suitor

With the Milan-Cortina Winter Games wrapped up, focus now turns to the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles — the first Games set to feature flag football. The addition of the sport is expected to have ripple effects across the Canadian Football League.

CFL on TSN analyst Glen Suitor says he’s excited to see football on the Olympic stage but acknowledges it will present scheduling challenges for the league.

According to Suitor, the CFL does not plan to pause its season during the Olympics. Instead, the league is expected to consult with men’s national flag football head coach Paul LaPolice to determine which CFL players may be involved, then adjust the schedule where possible.

“They want to get an idea from Coach LaPolice which CFL players he’ll be interested in,” Suitor explained. “From there, they can try to build the schedule to help those teams.”

Suitor noted that the impact will depend on how many CFL players are selected. If only two or three players participate, it becomes manageable — potentially by arranging bye weeks for affected teams. For example, if a quarterback like Nathan Rourke were selected, the BC Lions could be given a bye to minimize disruption.

However, if five or more players from different teams are chosen, accommodating everyone would be far more complicated.

Suitor also pointed out that many elite Canadian players compete in the NFL, and the Olympic roster is likely to feature dedicated flag football specialists alongside traditional tackle football players.

“You want to put the best group together to win a gold medal,” he said, suggesting that while CFL stars could be involved, the roster will ultimately be built around maximizing performance in the flag format.

With Los Angeles 2028 on the horizon, the CFL now faces the delicate task of balancing league continuity with what could be a historic opportunity for its players on the Olympic stage.