The Vanier Cup game is coming to London for the first time.
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The Vanier Cup game is coming to London for the first time.
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Multiple sources have told The London Free Press that the U Sports Football Championship 2022 game will be played on Saturday 26 November at the recently refurbished field of Western Alumni Stadium governing body of Canadian University Sports, Western University and Tourism London.
The location of the 57th Vanier Cup is the only national championship for the 2022-23 academic year to be announced.
London becomes the seventh host city in event history. The first 39 took place in Toronto before moving to Hamilton, Saskatchewan, Montreal, Vancouver and most recently Quebec City.
A year ago there was talk that the game would default to Western. U Sports chief sport officer Lisette Johnson-Stapley said at the time that two options were being considered during the COVID restrictions: return to Laval University’s Telus Stadium or hold the trophy at the home stadium of the national semi-final winner of Mitchell Bowl 2021.
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The committee eventually decided to return to Quebec City. The Western Mustangs defeated St. Francis Xavier X-Men 61-6 at home in the Mitchell Bowl and then defeated the Saskatchewan Huskies last December 4, the final date in Vanier Cup history, on an icy Laval field by 27 :21.
Western has hosted many national semifinals over the last half century, including the 1976 and 1977 Forest City Bowl and the 1974 Central Bowl, which was played at JW Little Stadium.
But this will be new territory.
The western football program has competed in 15 Vanier Cups – more than any school in history – and has won eight times, following only the 10 Laval Rouge et Or titles.
A Mustangs appearance in the big game would certainly boost ticket sales and interest, but it won’t be an easy path. In the national semi-final rotation, the Ontario champion is poised to host the Quebec Conference winner at this fall’s Mitchell Bowl, while Canada’s best will travel west to east to meet the Atlantic survivor in the Uteck Bowl.
Western University Stadium has a capacity of 10,000, but there is an opportunity to add additional seating temporarily. Last year, the 21-year-old stadium underwent a $5 million renovation, including a new pitch surface and an upgraded running track.
The Vanier Cup is another sign of London’s commitment to sports tourism. City recently secured the 2023 Tim Hortons Brier March 3-12 at Budweiser Gardens and was a finalist for the 2023 World Junior Hockey Championships, awarded to Halifax and Moncton.