Chad Kelly is not happy with how the Toronto Argonauts organization handled its displacement for the World Cup. The best quarterback in the Canadian Football League attributes his team’s struggles, in part, to the logistical challenges.
The lack of routine has created a lot more problems for the players than the leadership might’ve expected.
Although the Argonauts is not the only CFL team to be impacted by the international soccer tournament, they are the only ones who are forced to spend the majority of the early season on the road. That has not been easy.
The Toronto Argonauts are displaced by the World Cup.
Six World Cup matches were played at Toronto Stadium, which is typically known as BMO Field. Five were group stage matches.
- June 12, 2026 — Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina
- June 17, 2026 — Ghana vs. Panama
- June 20, 2026 — Germany vs. Ivory Coast
- June 23, 2026 — Croatia vs. Panama
- June 26, 2026 — Senegal vs. Iraq
The most recent match took place on July 2, 2026. Portugal played Croatia during the Round of 32.
Although the stadium is not currently in use, it remains unavailable while construction takes place to remove temporary stands. That was also the case on the front end. BMO Field was not available while the temporary stands were conducted.
Seeing that the Toronto Argonauts use BMO Field as its home stadium for games and practices, and houses all of the main offices, the Canadian Football League organization was forced to relocate for most of the summer. Training camp took place in May at the University of Guelph. As have all of their practices over the last month and a half.
The University of Guelph is located more than 50 miles west of downtown Toronto. It is no less than an hour’s drive depending on traffic.
As a result, the players — most of which live near downtown — are forced to commute to and from practice every single day. They are using Guelph as their home base during the World Cup even though it is not convenient for anybody involved.
In addition, the University of Guelph’s Alumni Stadium was not deemed playable for the regular season. Therefore, unlike the BC Lions who constructed a temporary stadium for games while their home field was used for the World Cup, the Toronto Argonauts will play all seven of their first seven games on the road. They lost three of their first five to sit second in the East Division at 2-3.
Chad Kelly questions the decision to only play on the road.
There is no better quarterback in the CFL through the first five games than Swag Chad Kelly, statistically speaking. He leads the Canadian Football League with 1,804 passings yards and 14 touchdowns. His eight interceptions aren’t great but that’s beside the point. The former Ole Miss, Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts signal-caller, 2023 CFL MOP, and two-time Grey Cup champion slings the pill.
Like playing catch in the backyard!
— 3DownNation (@3DownNation) July 11, 2026
Makai Polk (@showtimemakai) and Chad Kelly make it look too easy, setting up a Sam Hicks touchdown run.#CFL #Argos #PullTogether pic.twitter.com/ybgvsOMjYA
However, the Toronto Argonauts continue to lose games they should not lose. What gives? Kelly thinks it is the displacement.
“This is obviously something unprecedented. No professional team has had to do what we’re doing right now with five straight away games, back-to-back-to-back leaving the East to go West, and it’s not easy. It’s definitely not easy. I think we’ve got to dig down. We’ve got Hamilton next; that’s close by. We have to just make it happen. We’ve got to make it work,”
There is a severe lack of consistency for the players. They are rarely at home.
“Some people are driving an hour to work. Some people it takes two hours to get home from work. You’re not able to see your regular people, whether it’s your massage therapist, your chiropractor, getting a haircut, doing therapy outside of work.”
The unusual road schedule does not allow for a routine.
“Instead of just rushing all the time, you can kind of plan your weeks out on the move when you’re back home. Not having to set things up and knowing the night before you’re about to leave the next morning, you’re packing. Staying in your bed the night before a game, having the right food. We’re eating Guelph’s food, and, obviously, it’s fantastic, but it’s also college food.”
Kelly and his teammates are ready to get back home. But that can’t be an excuse.
“If we’re being honest, there’s a lot of guys, myself included, that are looking forward to getting back to BMO, but we have to get back to that 1-0 mentality. It’s just being able to focus one play at a time, one day at a time, one snap at a time, and all the things will come to what we need it to be. We gotta just regroup, whether it’s taking an extra day to really think things over and figure things out, but it’s a whole process. It’s everybody.”
Toronto will play two more games on the road on the next two Saturdays. The Argos return to BMO on August 6.