Grey Cup champion Bombers to open 2022 CFL season at home against Redblacks on June 10 | Calgary Sun

Just days after completing a pandemic-delayed and shortened season with the Grey Cup in Hamilton, the Canadian Football League has released plans for a full 18-game schedule, with two pre-season games, in 2022.

The two-time defending Grey Cup champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers will open the pre-season on May 23 in Saskatchewan and will kick off the regular season at home on June 10, against the Ottawa Redblacks.

The Redblacks, coached by former Winnipeg offensive co-ordinator Paul LaPolice, are the only CFL team the Bombers didn’t play while defending their Grey Cup title in 2021.

The Bombers will also host the Edmonton Elks in a pre-season game at IG Field on May 27.

They’ll visit Ottawa in Week 2 of the regular season and then host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Week 3 (June 24), in a rematch of the last two Grey Cup games.

Winnipeg beat Hamilton 33-25 in overtime last Sunday to win the CFL championship.

As usual, the Bombers will play the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Labour Day Classic in Regina, on Sept. 4, and then will host the Riders in the annual Banjo Bowl at IG Field on Sept. 10.

The Grey Cup will be played in Regina on Nov. 20, three weeks earlier than this year’s game in Hamilton was played.

The Bombers will play three games apiece against the Riders, Calgary Stampeders and B.C. Lions, two apiece against the Edmonton Elks, Redblacks, Tiger-Cats and Montreal Alouettes, and just once against the Toronto Argonauts.

The Bombers will play five games on Friday nights and two each on Thursday and Saturday, with just one afternoon game — the Banjo Bowl — scheduled for IG Field.

The schedule features three straight road games for the Bombers in July — at Edmonton on July 22, at Calgary on July 30 and at Montreal on Aug. 4.

Winnipeg has byes in Week 11, Week 16 and Week 20.

Twyman@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/Ted_Wyman

2022 CFL SCHEDULE

PRE-SEASON

Monday, May 23

Winnipeg at Saskatchewan, 3 p.m.

Friday, May 27

Edmonton at Winnipeg, 7:30 p.m.

REGULAR SEASON

Friday, June 10

Ottawa at Winnipeg, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, June 17

Winnipeg at Ottawa, 6:30 p.m.

Friday, June 24

Hamilton at Winnipeg, 7:30 p.m.

Monday, July 4

Winnipeg at Toronto, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 9

Winnipeg at B.C., 6 p.m.

Friday, July 15

Calgary at Winnipeg. 7:30 p.m.

Friday, July 22

Winnipeg at Edmonton, 8 p.m.

Saturday, July 30

Winnipeg at Calgary, 6 p.m.

Thursday, August 4

Winnipeg at Montreal, 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, August 11

Montreal at Winnipeg, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, August 25

Calgary at Winnipeg, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 3

Winnipeg at Saskatchewan, 5 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 10

Saskatchewan at Winnipeg, 4 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 17

Winnipeg at Hamilton, 3 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 30

Saskatchewan at Winnipeg, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 8

Edmonton at Winnipeg, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 15

Winnipeg at B.C., 9 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 28

B.C. at Winnipeg, 7:30 p.m.

109th Grey Cup 

Sunday, Nov. 20, at Regina, 5 p.m.