Canada’s men’s and women’s flag football teams have progressed to the quarterfinals of the flag football world championships in Germany. The men’s team, with a 2-1 record, finished second in their group after a 37-28 loss to Japan. They were set to face Nigeria but received a walkover win as Nigeria withdrew due to visa issues. Japan’s quarterback, Take Taniguchi, threw five touchdown passes, while Canada’s Michael O’Connor threw three TD passes. In the quarterfinals, they will compete against American Samoa, who defeated the top-ranked U.S. team.
On the other hand, the women’s team secured the top spot in their group with a flawless 3-0 record following their 34-20 victory over Japan. Their next challenge is against Austria in the quarterfinals, and a win would advance them to a semifinal match against the winner of Mexico and Spain. Sara Parker, the team’s quarterback, impressed with four touchdown passes, including two to Caroline Moquin-Joubert. Alexane Fournier, Marianne Quirion, and Frederique Morneau also contributed with TD passes and a rushing touchdown. Canada staged a remarkable comeback in the second half, scoring 21 unanswered points after trailing 20-13 at halftime.
Aside from the world title, teams are also vying for a spot in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The top-two finishers in the world championships will secure Olympic berths as the sport makes its debut in the Olympic program. All matches at the event will be available for live streaming on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.