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 a victory against Panama, with quarterback Sara Parker throwing four touchdowns, three of which were caught by wide receiver Caroline Moquin-Joubert and one by Laura Molimard, resulting in a 27-14 win. In their match against Brazil, the Canadian women dominated the first half with a 20-0 lead, ultimately winning 36-6.
Marianne Quirion and Frédérique Morneau each scored two touchdown catches in the game against Brazil, while Molimard contributed another touchdown. The Canadian men’s team also started strong with a 26-6 win over Austria, led by quarterback Michael O’Connor’s impressive performance of completing 19 out of 24 passes for four touchdowns.
Aside from the pursuit of a world title, teams are vying for spots in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The top two finishers in the world championships will secure Olympic berths, marking the sport’s debut in the Olympic program.
Both Canadian teams will conclude the group stage with matches against Japan on Friday. The men’s team will play at 2 a.m. ET, followed by the women’s team at 4:30 a.m. ET. All event matches will be available for live streaming on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.
While the Canadian men were initially set to face Nigeria, they will now receive an automatic win as the Nigerian team withdrew from the tournament due to visa complications.