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, leading to a 27-14 win. In their match against Brazil, the Canadian women dominated the first half with a 20-0 lead and went on to win 36-6. Marianne Quirion and Frédérique Morneau each had two touchdown catches in the game, with Molimard adding another.
The Canadian men’s team started their campaign with a single game on Thursday, defeating Austria 26-6. Quarterback Michael O’Connor completed 19 of 24 passes for four touchdowns in the victory. Aside from the world title, teams are also competing for spots in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. The top two finishers at the world championships will secure Olympic berths as the sport makes its debut in the program.
Both Canadian teams will conclude the group stage on Friday with matches against Japan. The men will play at 2 a.m. ET, while the women’s game is scheduled for 4:30 a.m. ET. All event matches will be live-streamed on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem. The Canadian men were set to face Nigeria on Friday but will now receive an automatic win as the Nigerian team withdrew from the tournament due to visa issues.