The Toronto Argonauts will host a home pre-season game at the University of Guelph’s Alumni Stadium on Thursday, June 7.

The Argos will host the Ottawa Redblacks in their final pre-season tune-up before heading west for the team’s first Canadian Football League regular-season game on June 15 in Saskatchewan. The Argos announced that the game in Guelph will kick off at 7:30 p.m.

The club’s regular home venue, BMO Field, is unavailable during the CFL pre-season due to mandatory scheduled maintenance on the playing surface.

The Argos, who have previously hosted training camp in Guelph, will return home to BMO Field on Sunday, June 23 for the team’s 2018 home opener against the Calgary Stampeders.

“We are thrilled to welcome the Canadian Football League back to our campus,” said Scott McRoberts, director of athletics at the University of Guelph, in a statement.

“Having the opportunity to host a CFL pre-season game is a special honour. Our facilities rank among the very best at the Canadian university level and our staff are excited to help execute an event that both the fans, as well as the two teams involved, can be proud of.”

In 2016, the Argos held their training camp in Guelph, spending over two weeks on U of G campus before returning to Toronto to kickoff their 2016 season.

In 2013, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats played nine of their 10 home games at Alumni Stadium during the regular season while their new home, Tim Hortons Field, was undergoing construction. That same year, the Ticats went on to win a playoff game on U of G soil when they defeated the Montreal Alouettes in overtime, 19-16, in the East Final.

There is more history between the CFL and the University of Guelph, with the Toronto Argonauts training off-and-on at U of G during the 1980s and 1990s.

“There is an incredible football fan base here in Guelph, with support from minor football all the way up to the university and CFL levels,” added McRoberts. “Hosting this game will serve as an excellent opportunity for our community to get a front-row seat to the professional ranks while taking in the game in a family-friendly environment.”