Tomorrow is the big one. After a 14-4 season and a first-place finish in the East, the Alouettes Eastern Final kicks off Saturday afternoon at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, with a trip to the 113th Grey Cup on the line. The opponent was decided in last weekend’s Eastern Semi-Final in Toronto; this guide focuses on what you need to know whichever team walks out of the visitors’ tunnel.
Alouettes Eastern Final: the essentials
- Kickoff: Saturday, Nov. 7 at 3 p.m. ET
- Where: Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, on the slopes of Mount Royal
- Tickets: sold out since Oct. 19, per 3DownNation
- TV: TSN and RDS
- Prize: a spot in the Grey Cup on Sunday, Nov. 15 in Calgary
The Western Final follows the same day at 6:30 p.m. ET in Edmonton, according to the CFL.
Why this team is different
Fourteen wins is the most for an Alouettes team since 2009, when the club went 15-3 and won the Grey Cup. The offence is the engine. Quarterback Davis Alexander threw for 5,257 yards with 35 touchdowns and just four interceptions, becoming only the second Alouette to pass 5,000 yards after Anthony Calvillo. Receiver Tyson Philpot set Canadian records with 124 catches and 1,809 yards. Both are finalists for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player award.
They have time to work because of the line in front of them: the Als allowed a league-low 19 sacks and led the CFL in yards per game (420.9) and yards per play (7.5), which is why Nick Callender and Pier-Olivier Lestage are both finalists for top offensive lineman.
Unfinished business
The last time Montreal hosted the East Final, in 2024, a capacity crowd of 23,035 watched the Als lose 30-28 to the Argonauts, who went on to win the Grey Cup. This group has spent two years waiting to change the ending. Molson Stadium has been a fortress, too; we covered the unbeaten home run in Perfect at Home, and the road to this game in Alouettes Watch.
The city has caught on. According to 3DownNation, average attendance rose to 21,238 this season, and after a lull in June the crowds kept growing, coming within 1,000 fans of capacity in each of five straight games before the last two regular-season home dates sold out. Saturday, with a Grey Cup berth on the line, should be the loudest crowd of the year.
The franchise knows what’s at stake, too: Montreal won the Grey Cup as recently as 2023. For many of the younger players on this roster, though, Saturday will be the biggest stage of their careers so far, in front of a home crowd that has waited all season for this.
Three keys
- Protect Alexander. Keep the pocket clean and the Als’ deep passing game is the best in the league.
- Feed Philpot early. Second-down conversions to Philpot were a weapon all year.
- Start fast. The crowd at Molson can be a real advantage when the Als score first.
Tips if you’re going
- Take transit or walk. Parking near the stadium is very limited. McGill metro is the closest station, followed by an uphill walk.
- Dress for November. It’s an outdoor, afternoon game; layers, a hat and gloves are smart.
- Arrive early. Playoff crowds and security checks take time.
- Bring your ticket on your phone and check the team’s site for gate times.
Watching from home or a bar
If you couldn’t get a ticket, you’re in good company. Our list of bars to watch the Canadiens doubles as a football guide, and many will have the TSN or RDS feed on. Bonus: the Canadiens play in Toronto at 7 p.m. the same night, so you can make it a doubleheader.
If they win
The 113th Grey Cup goes Sunday, Nov. 15 at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, with gates opening at 3 p.m. and kickoff at 5 p.m. local time (6 p.m. in Montreal, since Alberta now stays on daylight time year-round), capping a week of events at the Grey Cup Festival. The Als’ full schedule and ticket info are on the team’s website.
For our breakdown of both possible opponents before the semi-final, read Argos or Bombers?, and follow the rest of the weekend in our sports section. Allez les Als!
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Photo: Richard Mc Neil / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Sources: 3DownNation, CFL.ca, CFL.ca (MOP), CFL.ca (finalists), Grey Cup Festival, Montreal Alouettes
