FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 3, 2026

Football Ontario Launches Call for Bids for Provincial Event Hosting (2027–2029)

Hamilton, Ontario – Football Ontario is pleased to officially launch its Provincial Event Hosting Call for Bids for the 2027, 2028, and 2029 seasons, inviting communities across Ontario to play a significant role in delivering some of the province’s premier tackle and flag football events.

The organization is inviting municipalities, tourism organizations, post-secondary institutions, and sport facility partners to submit proposals to host one or more of the following events:

• 2028 & 2029: Team Ontario Development Camp Weekend
• 2028 & 2029: Team Ontario RedBlack Weekend
• 2028 & 2029: Club Flag Provincial Championships
• 2027, 2028 & 2029: OSFL Summer Cup (Rotating Host Communities)

These events bring together thousands of athletes, coaches, officials, families, and spectators from across Ontario, providing opportunities for athletic development, provincial competition, and community engagement.

The full bid document can be viewed here: BID DOCUMENT

A Major Opportunity for Communities Across Ontario

As Canada’s largest Provincial Sport Organization for football, Football Ontario supports over 30,000 participants annually and has an established track record of delivering large-scale provincial and national events.

Through this Call for Bids, Football Ontario is seeking host communities capable of providing high-quality facilities, accommodations, and local partnerships while benefiting from the economic and tourism opportunities associated with provincial football events.

Across the full 2027–2029 hosting cycle, projected impacts include:

• $2.84 million in total estimated economic impact
• 4,200–6,000 estimated accommodation room nights
• 27,000–35,000 total participants and spectators

These events also provide opportunities for local businesses, tourism organizations, and football clubs to benefit from increased visitation and community involvement.

Football Ontario will oversee event operations, including competition scheduling, staffing, equipment, and logistics, reducing the operational burden on host communities while maximizing local impact.

Flexible Hosting Opportunities

Football Ontario is offering several hosting options to accommodate communities of varying sizes and capabilities:

• Option A – Single-Event Hosting: Host one provincial event in an eligible year.
• Option B – Multi-Year Hosting: Host the same event in both 2028 and 2029, creating consistency and a stronger long-term community legacy.
• Option C – Multi-Event Partnership: Host two or more provincial events across the hosting cycle, maximizing economic impact and community involvement.

The OSFL Summer Cup will continue to rotate annually between host communities, ensuring that different regions across Ontario have the opportunity to showcase provincial championship football. Communities may submit bids for multiple years, but the event cannot be awarded to the same host in consecutive years.

Event Highlights

Each provincial event offers unique opportunities for host communities and participating athletes:

• Team Ontario Development Camp Weekend: A critical stage in the Team Ontario high-performance tackle pathway, bringing together hundreds of male and female athletes for on-field evaluations, development, and coaching opportunities.
• Team Ontario RedBlack Weekend: A premier high-performance showcase featuring Team Ontario athletes competing in exhibition games as part of the final selection process for national championship teams, alongside the OSFL All-Star Game.
• Club Flag Provincial Championships: Ontario’s premier club flag football championship, bringing together boys’, girls’, and mixed teams from across the province to compete for provincial titles and qualification opportunities for the Football Canada Club Flag National Championships.
• OSFL Summer Cup: One of Ontario’s largest amateur tackle football championship events, bringing together qualifying teams from across the Ontario Summer Football League for two weekends of championship competition.

Together, these events showcase the continued growth of tackle and flag football while creating meaningful opportunities for communities to support athlete development and provincial competition.

Submission Details

Football Ontario encourages interested municipalities, tourism partners, educational institutions, and facility operators to review the complete bid package and explore potential hosting partnerships.

The deadline for bid submissions is:

December 3, 2026 (5:00 PM ET)

Following the evaluation process and potential site visits, successful host communities are expected to be confirmed by February 1, 2027.

Interested organizations are encouraged to contact Football Ontario for additional information or to participate in a bidder information session.

All bid submissions and inquiries should be directed to:

Tyler McNicholl
Director of Operations, Football Ontario
tmcnicholl@footballontario.net

About Football Ontario

Football Ontario is the recognized Provincial Sport Organization responsible for the governance and development of amateur football in Ontario. Through leadership, promotion, and programming, Football Ontario is committed to providing inclusive, high-quality football experiences across the province.