Canada’s flag football teams had a successful start at the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world championship in Düsseldorf, Germany. The Canadian women’s team secured wins in their matches against Panama and Brazil. Quarterback Sara Parker led the team to victory with four touchdown passes, three caught by wide receiver Caroline Moquin-Joubert and one by Laura Molimard.
In another game against Brazil, the Canadian women dominated with a 36-6 win, fueled by Marianne Quirion and Frédérique Morneau’s two touchdown catches each, along with an additional touchdown by Laura Molimard.
On the men’s side, Canada defeated Austria 26-6 with quarterback Michael O’Connor impressively completing 19 of 24 passes for four touchdowns. Apart from vying for the world title, teams are also competing for spots in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The top-two finishers at the world championships will secure Olympic berths as flag football makes its debut on the Olympic program.
Both Canadian teams will conclude the group stage with matches against Japan on Friday. The men’s match is scheduled for 2 a.m. ET while the women’s match will follow at 4:30 a.m. ET. Viewers can catch all the action live on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.
The Canadian men’s team had a change in schedule as Nigeria withdrew from the tournament due to visa issues, granting Canada an automatic win in their upcoming match.