The NFL is a big deal in Canada, which to many comes surprising given that the league isn't one that is thought to be that popular in a country that is north of the border where it is played.

Unlike many of the other professional sports leagues in America, Canada isn't represented in the NFL. They do not have a team that participates in the league like they do in the NHL, NBA, MLS, or MLB. The top three teams for some Canadians to support are the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills, and the New England Patriots due to proximity.

Of course, while it isn't always possible for them to go to the matches that are played, they will continue to show their support. They will watch the games on TV, attend parties, and even place wagers with the NFL betting Canada sites that allow them to enjoy various markets.

Is the NFL more popular than the CFL?

If you're aware of Canadian sports, you'd probably know that the country has its own American football league: the Canadian Football League (CFL). The sport is slightly different in terms of its rules, but it is played in largely the same way.

However, you'd have thought that this was more popular than the NFL, right? Wrong. The 2023 edition of the Grey Cup -- which is the premier game for the CFL season -- attracted audience figures of 3,576,500 through broadcasters TSN and RDS. The game, that saw the Montreal Alouettes and Winnipeg Blue Bombers compete with the former winning 28-24 in a tight and memorable encounter, received its highest viewing figure since 2019. It is still a far cry short of the four million that was regularly achieved between 2009-17, averaging 4.74 million during those years. Only 2016 saw figures fall lower than four million during that stretch.

Compare that to the NFL, and this year's Super Bowl blew those numbers out significantly. According to official figures as part of the NFL's global efforts, more than 18.8 million Canadians had watched the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the San Francisco 49ers in overtime. Viewing of regular NFL games has been on the increase across Canada over the last few years, with 2020 reporting double-digit growth.

Is the NFL more popular than the NHL for Canadians?

When you think of sports and events that Canadians are more associated with, the NHL and ice hockey will reign supreme. Everyone will immediately associate the sport with the Maple Leaf Country.

It's the professional sports league that they are most active in across North America, with seven teams hailing from the country. Indeed, the most successful teams in the league are from the Great White North, with the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs ahead of everyone else when it comes to the Stanley Cup.

Regarding viewing figures, 15 million people watched Game 7 between the Edmonton Oilers and the Carolina Hurricanes in this year's Stanley Cup. That was approximately 39% of the country's entire population. Canada's SportsNet broadcaster had an average minute audience of 7.55 million for the game, which made it the second most-watched NHL game to have been watched in the country ever.

Given that more had watched the Super Bowl than Game 7, it goes to show just how big the NFL in Canada has become.