Regina to host the 2025 Vanier Cup

Get excited, the Cup is coming to town!

Saturday, November 25, 2023 brought the announcement of one of Regina’s most exciting opportunities, the hosting of the 2025 Vanier Cup. U SPORTS announced that the 2025 Canadian national university football championship will be held at Mosaic Stadium.  

The Vanier Cup was created in 1965, and held in Toronto, Ontario until 2003. After the 2003 championship, other major cities could bid to host the great championship. Having held it just once in the past, the Vanier Cup will be back in Saskatchewan in 2025.  

The news of the Vanier Cup being held in Regina was shared by Jeff Keshen, the President and Vice Chancellor of University of Regina, in an email to all the students. This email read, “When we host the event, it will mark the 25th anniversary of our own University of Regina Rams appearing in the championship, as well as the 60th anniversary of the Vanier Cup itself.”  

Keshen encouraged all students to be a part of this huge news by attending and volunteering in the coming months for this “high-profile national event. […] Let’s once again show the entire country why Saskatchewan is known as the volunteer capital of Canada.” 

Lisette Johnson-Stapley, U SPORTS’ chief sport officer, said in a statement: “We are confident fans from all over will want to converge on Regina for this milestone event. The city is known for its enthusiasm for football and deeply engaged fan base, which solidifies Regina’s status as a city where football plays a significant and beloved role in the community’s sport culture.” 

Regina is a great place to host the Cup. Not only does Regina have a huge and enthusiastic fan base that supports the local Regina Rams and the provincial Saskatchewan Roughriders, but the community is very involved in events. Many of Regina’s events are run by volunteers, and the Vanier Cup will be too. Mosaic Stadium has an average capacity of 33,000 people, with a maximum capacity of 40,000. Since so many people from all over Western Canada will be traveling to Regina to cheer on this event, Mosaic Stadium is an appropriate place to host it.  

The Vanier Cup will be a great opportunity for the City of Regina and Tourism Regina to show off the city and its many unique experiences and businesses. Regina made its last appearance in the Cup in 2000, so it will be encouraging for everyone to see how the home team’s performance has improved. 

Residents of Saskatchewan have come together in the past for great events like the Grey Cup. It was an overwhelming response of volunteers and support, even though the event took 1,200 volunteers and 3 years of planning to bring it all together. A high-profile event like the Vanier Cup will certainly require similar hard work and, based on past support, Regina should expect a great turnout of volunteers and attendees.  

The residents of Saskatchewan are determined folk. They can, and will, show up for a football game even in the nastiest of weather. The Grey Cup is a great example of this. Even in the cold, residents showed up to celebrate and be a part of the great event. This shows the city’s residents’ love for football and their teams. 

The Vanier Cup has yet to see what Regina is going to bring to the event. As the residents anticipate this wait, the organizing committee has yet to relay more information. Vanier Cup – here it comes!