Canada’s women’s flag football team emerged victorious over the United States to claim the world championship title, while the men’s team secured their spot at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics during the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world championships held in Düsseldorf, Germany. The women’s team, already having secured a spot with a 20-6 win against top-ranked Mexico in the semifinals, sealed a flawless tournament with a 27-20 triumph over the Americans in the final.
Frederique Morneau played a pivotal role with three touchdown catches for Canada, while quarterback Sara Parker connected with Caroline Moquin-Joubert for another score. Parker, with a total of 23 touchdown passes, was honored as the most valuable player of the women’s tournament.
In a nail-biting match that came down to the wire, the Canadian women’s team clinched the gold medal, edging out the United States 27-20.
The Canadian men’s team also secured their place at the 2028 Olympics after defeating Mexico 34-26 in the third-place playoff match. Quarterback Michael O’Connor led the charge with an impressive performance, amassing 294 yards and five touchdowns. Former NFL tight end Antony Auclair contributed significantly with 149 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions from O’Connor. Daniel Petermann also found the end zone twice, and James Drysdale completed the scoring with another touchdown.
With this victory, Canada earned a spot in the LA28 Olympics, joining the women’s team in representing the country on the global stage.
The top two teams from both flag football events, excluding the host Americans, secured their spots in Los Angeles, where flag football will debut as an Olympic sport. Despite Canada’s loss to Italy in the men’s semifinals, the third-place playoff against Mexico became a crucial battle for an Olympic qualification after the American men advanced to the final.
Canada’s head coach, Paul LaPolice, expressed pride in his team’s performance, emphasizing the hard work and dedication that led to their Olympic qualification. LaPolice highlighted the significance of both the men’s and women’s teams qualifying together, signaling a bright future for Canadian flag football.
In the men’s final, the United States emerged victorious over Italy with a score of 42-26, showcasing the high level of competition at the IFAF world championships.