Canada’s flag football squads kicked off their campaign at the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) world championship in Düsseldorf, Germany, with impressive victories on Thursday. The Canadian women’s team dominated their matches, defeating Panama 27-14 and Brazil 36-6. Quarterback Sara Parker led the charge with four touchdown passes, three of which were caught by wide receiver Caroline Moquin-Joubert and one by Laura Molimard.
In the game against Brazil, Marianne Quirion and Frédérique Morneau also made significant contributions with two touchdown catches each, while Molimard added another. The Canadian men’s team also started strong by defeating Austria 26-6, with quarterback Michael O’Connor showcasing an outstanding performance by completing 19 of 24 passes for four touchdowns.
Aside from vying for the world title, the teams are eyeing qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, where flag football will make its Olympic debut. The top two finishers at the world championships will secure spots at the Olympics.
Both Canadian teams will conclude the group stage with matches against Japan on Friday. The men will play at 2 a.m. ET, followed by the women at 4:30 a.m. ET. All event matches will be live-streamed on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem. The Canadian men’s team, originally set to face Nigeria, will receive an automatic win as Nigeria withdrew from the tournament due to visa issues.