Thousands of people filled the stands at the Apple Bowl for Touchdown Kelowna over the weekend, and it has left fans wondering whether the city could support a new sports franchise.

Recently Kelowna has hosted some massive sports events, which Mayor Tom Dyas said proves the city has the capacity to support more, but there aren’t any official conversations for setting up a CFL team or any other franchise for Kelowna yet.

“Kelowna continues to build a strong reputation as a host city for major cultural and sporting events, with a sport sector that is active, experienced, and deeply connected to our community,” Dyas said in an email statement to iNFOnews.ca.

The BC Lions lost to the Calgary Stampeders on June 27 and are set to play against the Edmonton Elks the Apple Bowl on July 4.

The city has long been home to the Kelowna Rockets Western Hockey League junior team and the Okanagan Sun of the Canadian Junior Football League, but the sports offering has expanded significantly of late.

Kelowna hosted HoopFest in June, a weekend event to host a game by the Vancouver Bandits of the Canadian Elite Basketball League. Last year Kelowna hosted the Montana’s Brier curling championship, in 2024 it hosted a Canadian Premier League soccer match, this year there was the Memorial Cup, now Touchdown Kelowna and soon the BC Summer Games.

“We have demonstrated our ability to successfully deliver high-profile sporting events that draw strong local and national interest,” Dyas said. “Our city brings together the key elements needed to support events at this level, including capable facilities, an engaged business community, and a strong base of volunteers and local sport organisations.”

After the Canadian Premier League match in Kelowna in 2024 the city found itself on a short-list of options for a new team when the league expanded. Unfortunately for soccer fans it didn’t make the cut and instead the league added a team in Montreal.

The CFL has been talking about expansion for years and Kelowna hasn’t been front and centre in the conversation. But, that hasn’t stopped fans from speculating online about what a CFL team in Kelowna could look like.

#cfl find corporate sponsors and expand the stadium and here you.
Kelowna Ogopogos. pic.twitter.com/WgqOSCBwZG
— Tom Rutledge (@TomRutledge3) June 28, 2026

Currently Kelowna doesn’t have a stadium in the range of existing CFL venues which seat between 20,000 and 50,000 fans. The city had to make some significant but temporary upgrades to the Apple Bowl to make Touchdown Kelowna work.

“We are continuing to invest in our infrastructure and in programmes that strengthen our local sport system, ensuring Kelowna can respond to the evolving needs and interests of our community. Through this work, we are reinforcing Kelowna’s position as a community that can deliver and support world-class sporting opportunities,” Dyas said.

But, when asked, Dyas didn’t rule out the possibility of a new sports franchise in the city.

“As our city grows and our experience continues to expand, we remain open to conversations that align with our community priorities and make sense for Kelowna over the long term, including exploring opportunities with partners where there is a strong fit for our community,” Dyas said.